Unspoken Pain
by Bella Gattino
Summary: Madison knows that Jacob is using her, but the time they spend together is enough to make up for it, but is it really?
1. Chapter 1

Madison followed Harry Clearwater and Billy Black out of the tribal offices. She hated coming to these meetings, it seemed so hard on the Elders. She shrugged to herself she could see how it could be. These elected official, specifically the elected "chief" seemed determined to stop the "hogwash" stories as Chief Johnston had called them. She gritted her teeth, that hogwash was the stories she had been raised on. She had so many memories of sitting around the campfires of her youth listening to the Elders, especially her grandfather, telling the stories. She had loved the magic they wove and she would forever feel that magic in the misty mountains. It didn't matter that someone else, who wasn't even the true chief, didn't understand the meaning behind the stories. It was her history, and she would have believed that the men of her tribe were part of a larger world even if she hadn't seen it.

She smiled down at Billy, the only true chief she would acknowledge, as he talked to Harry about the meeting. He shot her a smile over his shoulder, "So what did you think about the Chief's thoughts?"

"I believe that everything thing that man said is hogwash, just like his title." Madison replied and received a laugh from both of the men. She was happy to see Billy smile, it had been a while since she had seem him smile like this. It was hard on anyone when other people didn't want you to share the history of your people with the world.

"He believes that the world will stereotype us, I can understand what he is saying but I believe that his underhanded tactics are just that." Harry said as they exited out into the misty sunlight.

"Well, Harry not everyone believe in werewolves and vampires." Billy shot up at him.

"HA!" Harry shot back sarcastically, "They need to come to our part of the reservation, and I'll show you what exists and what doesn't." Billy and Madison couldn't help but laugh.

Billy nodded as they stopped by Harry's car, "Madison will you be able to come in tomorrow?"

"Of course, it's my job." Madison replied with a smile, she had been elected the Secretary of the Lore the year before and it was a title she wore proudly. She knew she had been given the job because she knew it wasn't just a folklore, ever since she had seen her father change she had known the stories were true. "Who will be the speaker tomorrow?"

"Old Quil will be back in." Billy replied and Madison nodded.

"Okay, I will see you all tomorrow then. I'm going home to type up all of Old Quil's stories from today." Madison hugged both men and walked toward her truck.

Madison opened her truck's door and stepped out onto her driveway and she knew she wasn't alone. "Who's there?" She felt the presence of someone, but couldn't see anyone. She looked over her shoulder as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye to see Jacob emerge from the woods. "Oh," She grunted as Jacob wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She didn't know when or how these meetings began; and to be honest she really didn't care.

She knew why he was here. Though she tried not to think about it, it hurt too much to know that she would never be enough.

Madison's air was pressed out of her each time Jake took a step, his huge arm constricting her lungs.

"Jake I can't breathe." She ground out through the pain in her ribs.

"Sorry." She yelped as he spun her in his arms and held her tightly against his body.

She stared up at his face as he ran through the woods toward his house. She could tell that something was bothering him, more than normal. "What's wrong?" She asked. She stared up at him waiting for his reply. When he finally looked down at her she saw the pain clearly written in his coal eyes. She felt her anger built as she thought back to Bella. Madison understood that Bella was in love with Edward but she had no right to continually hurt Jacob over and over again. She blocked the thought from her mind that it was Jacob's fault for continuing to go back over and over again.

Madison realized that they were close to his house when his steps slowed. He sat her down gently on her feet and surprised her by taking her hand in his.

He led her to the house and she was extremely pleased that Billy hadn't made it back yet and they had the house to themselves. She followed him to his small bedroom and stepped into the room while he pushed the door closed behind him.

"Come here." Jake's voice was soft but she could hear the tension hidden there.

She followed his command and welcomed his embrace. She stared up at him, "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He stated his eyes staring out the small window over her head. "Just make me forget." He turned his attention back to her and kissed her.

He pushed against her moving her closer to the bed. When her legs touched the side of the bed he stopped and slipped his hands under her top and pulled it up over her head. He threw it over his shoulder before lifting her and setting her on the bed.

She moved further back on the bed and unbuckled her bra before letting it slip from her fingers to the floor. She leaned back on the bed and welcomed his body to hers.

She wrapped her arms over his shoulder, marveling how much he had grown in just a few months. She ran her hands down his chest, her nails dipping into the valleys of his abs when he pulled his shirt over his head.

He never made eye contact with her as he pulled her jeans down her legs, followed quickly by his.

The only time that he seemed to notice that she was there was when she moaned his name as he slipped his fingers into her folds and brushed against her clit.

He stared down at her as if seeing her for the first time and he closed his eyes and sat back on his knees.

"Jacob?" She sat up extremely aware of her undress but more concerned by the lost look on his face. Normally sex with Jacob was rough and fast, this was so out of character that it scared her. She watched as he moved from her and sat against the wall his legs bent, his arms resting on his knees.

He spoke so softly that if she hadn't been looking at him she might not have heard him, "She's gone. I don't stand a chance."

She sighed and pulled the sheet to cover her nakedness and moved to sit in front of him. "Jake," she had no clue what to say when he looked up, "I'm sorry."

He sighed obviously as displeased by her less than prophetic statement as she was. "I guess it's my own fault. I knew she would choose the bloodsucker. What does he have that I don't?" She shrugged.

"It's more what he doesn't have that you do." She replied and was relieved to see a hesitant smile appear on his face.

"True." He stared at her before pulling the sheet from her hand, "Did I tell you that you could cover up?" He asked with a smirk.

"Well," she had assumed that the mood was ruined but as she looked down she noticed he was still just as hard as before.

"Exactly," He grinned at her before motioning toward the bed.

She moved back to the bed and leaned back. He crawled toward her and pulled the sheet from her body before he caressed her body with his eyes.

She sighed as he caressed her thighs before opening her to his tongue. Her hips rocked with him mouth as he lapped at her nub bringing her to her peak.

Before she had the chance to catch her breath Jacob had crawled up her body and was positioned at her entrance. He leaned down, his weight resting on his forearms; his fingers laced into her hair, and kissed her slowly.

He pulled from the kiss and stared down at her while he pushed into her. Her eyes drifted shut as his overheated body pushed into hers. She groaned as he stretched her, rocking his manhood deeper into her.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he rocked into her, and his eyes drifted shut as she ran her nails down his back. When her body tightened around him, he groaned and she smiled up at him and tightened again. She gasped as he pulled from her body and pushed back into her hard and fast, taking her breath away with the sensations the speed of his thrust brought out in her body.

She felt her body tense and knew her release was near, Jacob felt it too and held on to her hips before rocking in to her roughly making sure to rub against her G-spot. She screamed his name as she shattered; her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment as the sensation ripped through her.

When she came down from her high she rocked against him intent on making his release as good as hers had been. She watched in quiet satisfaction as he seemed to be enjoying her body more than he had ever before. He nipped at the skin at her neck, suckling on her breasts as he rocked into her.

With all his extra attention to her body it didn't take long before she was reeling from another orgasm.

As she returned to earth she felt Jacob's manhood swell inside her and she knew that he was near his release. She tightened her internal muscles around him, wanting to milk his body of every last ounce of his essence.

He leaned back, took her hips in his hands and pulled her roughly to his body. She knew she would ache tomorrow, but right now it didn't matter, she wanted him to enjoy this. Enjoy her body.

She felt the instant his release washed over him, his cock twitching against her body. She tightened against him again and he growled and said the one thing that would forever shatter her heart.

"Bella!" he stilled instantly realizing what had slipped from his lips.

Madison now knew why he was enjoying himself so much more this time. He was imagining she was Bella, that it was her body that he was pushing himself into. She stared up at him as he released her body and pulled from her. She sat up, unable to hide the pain in her eyes, as he ran from the room.

She heard the front door crash open and heard his howl as he changed. She sat in the bed for what seemed like the longest time, not seeing anything. She finally came back to reality and dressed quickly not wanting to be in the house when Billy came back home.

She pulled the front door closed behind her and made her way back home. She sighed, it was going to be a long walk, and Jacob usually walked her home, or carried her home if he needed to change afterward.

She knew now that her realization that she would be hurting tomorrow was more realistic than she had realized. She sniffled as she entered the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A huge thank you goes out to the best-est Beta in the world, Mist, you made it better so I thank you! 3!

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Jacob howled after he changed, the pain had been so visible on her face he didn't know if he would ever forget the look in her eyes. He growled as Quil's voice trampled into his mind.

"_What's going on?" _Jacob had hoped he was the only one who was a wolf at the time. He needed his thoughts to be his own right now. But as luck would have it, he wasn't alone.

"_Nothing, leave me be." Jacob growled. _

"_No something is wrong, everyone can feel it. What is wrong?" Quil's voice was almost a whine._

"_God Quil are you that blind?" Jacob sighed as he heard Leah's voice comment on the situation._

_Quil sighed, "Yeah I guess I am." _

"_Jacob messed up." Leah stated sarcasm strong as always._

"_What do you mean?" Jacob could hear Quil stop trotting. _

"_God you are dense." Leah snapped._

"_That's enough Leah. Change. Now." Jacob commanded and sighed as he felt her presence fade away. _

"_What's going on?" _

"_I'll explain it later, much later." Jacob replied. "Go to the woods outside my house and wait for Madison to leave. When she does, carry her home okay?" _

"_Why is Madison at your house?" _

"_Quil," Jacob's voice was a warning._

"_Fine," Quil sighed and Jacob heard his paws covering the necessary ground. _

Madison sniffled as she entered the woods. She bit her lip to keep the tears at bay and yelped in surprise as a dark brown colored wolf stepped out from behind a tree.

Madison pressed her hand against her chest, "Quil?"

The large brown wolf nodded his head and motioned back toward the way she had been walking.

"You want to walk me home?" She asked.

He nodded again and lay down and he motioned over his shoulder with his muzzle.

"Are you sure?" She asked as she neared him. When he nodded she climbed onto his back and he stood. Madison sighed and leaned forward burying her face in the soft hair on the back of his neck. He felt her crying.

"_Jacob, what did you do?" Quil asked Jacob as he trotted toward Madison's house. _

"_I fucked up." Jacob replied with a sigh._

"_I figured that one. What?" Quil pressed again._

"_Can you at least wait until you get her home?" Jacob growled. _He could hear Madison's sobs and it ripped at his heart. He could feel the tears as they cascaded down Quil's side. _"I promise I will tell you when you have her home." _

"_I'm holding you to that Jacob." _

"_Fine." _

Quil whimpered once and wished he could say something to her to make her feel better. He knew now what had happened, he could smell the sex on her. He knew Jacob well enough to know that he wouldn't rape Madison, but he knew without a doubt that something had crushed her. He could feel the anguish radiating from her.

"I'm okay Quil. Thank you for taking me home." Madison ran her fingers through his fur as she sat up and wiped her face. "I wasn't looking forward to the two mile trek home."

Quil growled quietly in response and Madison laughed, "It's a little hard carrying on a conversation with a wolf." Quil looked over his shoulder at her and nodded.

Before she knew it, Quil was slowing down his trot and she looked through the woods and saw the familiar light of her house. "Thank you Quil." She waited until Quil knelt down and she slid off his back. She walked to his head and scratched his head and he stood. He bent his head down over her shoulder and pulled her to him, his only form of a hug. She understood and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you." She whispered her voice breaking as she turned and made her way into the house. He watched until she was safely inside before he turned and made his way back Jacob.

"_What in the hell did you do?" Quil growled as he flew through the woods. _

"_I fucked up." _

"_I know that. Damn it Jacob what did you do? Did you hurt her?" _

"_I didn't mean to." _

"_What. Did. You. Do?" Quil asked each word harshly. _

"_I called out Bella's name." Jacob spoke so quickly that it took Quil a second to realize what he had said but when Quil did he stumbled and nearly toppled a tree. _

"_YOU DID WHAT?" _

"_God, I know." Quil could hear the pain in Jacob's voice, could feel his pain. "I can't believe I did that." _

"_How long have you been using her?" Quil felt his ire rise at the thought. _

"_I'm not using-" Jacob was interrupted by Quil's angry tone._

"_Bullshit! I know better, and you know better. Does she at least KNOW that you are in love with Bella? Does she know that you are hopeless in this, that you love her and she doesn't love you back?" _

_Jacob cringed as Quil's voice rolled through his head, "Harsh?" _

"_That seems to be the only way to get through to you lately. God, what happened to the Jacob who wouldn't intentionally hurt someone?" _

"_I didn't intentionally hurt her." _

"_But you didn't try NOT to hurt her." Quil made sure to follow up his statement with his memory of the way Madison looked as she pulled away from him. He felt Jacob's pain intensify and felt sorry for the last stab. _

"_No, I didn't." Jacob replied and Quil felt his presence fade as Jacob changed back to his human form. _

Jacob sighed as he heard Quil's angry howl carry through the moonless night.

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A/N: Thank you to everyone for their amazing feedback on this story. I love each word that you have written me and it makes me want to write more.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Again, I want to thank Mist for beta-ing for this. She's the greatest.

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2 weeks later Madison had only ventured out of the safety of her house once besides trips to work. That one trip had resulted in her feeling like everyone in town knew her personal life, and knew that she wasn't good enough. She had raced home, abandoning her cart in the middle of the grocery store.

Madison sighed as she stared into her barren refrigerator, and knew that she had no other choice than to make another trip into town. She slipped on her tennis shoes and rain coat before she stepped out into the drizzling rain.

As she drove down Main street toward the only grocery store in La Push, she felt her chest constrict, her breath came in gasps. As she neared a convenience store she noticed that the parking lot was empty. She crossed the oncoming lane of traffic, rousing an angry blast from the surprised driver in the lane.

She sighed with relief at her luck, she stepped from the car making a mental note of the things that she would be able to find in the store and what would have to do until she could get to Forks' supermarket.

Madison didn't make eye contact with the clerk as she picked up the green basket beside the door. She turned down the first isle determined to get what she needed and get home.

"Come on I'm starving." Jared called as he crossed the street toward the convenience store. Jacob and Quil both rolled their eyes but followed him nonetheless, their own hunger nagging at them.

As Quil pushed into the store, it hit him. He stumbled as Madison's scent washed over him. He knew he would never forget that sweet tang.

"What the hell?" Jacob asked as Quil stopped in the door way. Jake pushed past him, attempting to see what had caught Quil's attention when he smelt her. He felt his mouth dry out and the rest of his body reacted to her nearness. No matter how much he may love Bella, Madison was the only person he had physically loved, and his body knew that.

Quil shot Jacob a look and made his way past Jared, who was rambling on as if someone was actually listening completely oblivious to the tension in the room, and nodded at Clint behind the counter. He stepped into the isle and spoke hoping he didn't frighten her.

"Madison?" He sighed silently as he saw how pale her face was. Her normally hazel eyes were a muddy brown. He could read the fear in her eyes as she looked up. He smiled genuinely as the fear was replaced with relief.

"Hi." Her voice was soft and rough, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Hey." He took a step closer to her and when she didn't back away, he continued until he stood in front of her, "How are you?"

"I'm okay." Her lie lay solidly on her tongue and she knew by Quil's smile that he knew. "You?"

"Good." He replied quietly. He saw her face pale and stopped knowing that Jacob had stepped into the isle behind him.

"I'm sorry." If he hadn't had super hearing he would have never heard her whispered apology. He watched helplessly as she bent and placed the basket on the floor and turned on her heel and left the isle but not before he saw the pained expression on her face.

He turned to face Jacob when he heard the door bell chime as Madison left the building. "You just had to butt in didn't you?" Quil growled his anger barely contained.

"I just wanted to see if she was okay."

"I think you've done enough already." Quil replied and lifted the basket from the floor.

Madison sniffled as she pulled into her driveway. She was angry at herself for once again being unable to control the tears. She shook her head as she pulled the bag of potato chips from her passengers seat. Not exactly the meal of champions but it would have to do tonight.

She closed her car door with her foot and pressed the button to lock the door. She gasped as she rounded the front of her car and saw someone sitting in the darkness of her front porch.

Quil could sense her fear, "It's me." He spoke and stood from his impromptu seat and stepped into the light from her garage.

"Oh." Madison sighed and smiled as she neared him.

"Yeah, didn't mean to scare you." Quil stated with a smile.

"It's fine." Madison replied, both of them knowing who she was scared of seeing. Madison stepped closer to him and onto the front porch.

"I brought you something. " Quil lifted two brown paper bags.

"What is it?" Madison asked as Quil lowered one bag for her to look down into. "Quil!" She exclaimed as she saw all the stuff from the store she had picked out.

"I added a loaf of bread, that seemed like about the only thing that you didn't have."

Madison's eyes glazed over with tears, "You didn't have to do that."

"Apparently I did." He replied motioning to her lowly bag of chips.

"Okay, I admit. I have nothing to eat at all." Madison replied with a sheepish grin as she lead the way to her front door.

"Well then I'm doubly proud I did." Quil followed her into the house and into the kitchen.

"Thank you. How much was it?" Madison asked as he sat the bags down on the counter.

"Nothing." Quil replied as he took a seat on one of the stools in her kitchen.

She looked over her shoulder at him, he seemed to take up every inch of the room, "I know better than that. How much do I owe you Quil?"

"And I said nothing. Don't think that I won't use werewolf mind controlling tricks on you."

Madison couldn't help but laugh, "Well first off you don't lie well and secondly werewolves have no mind controlling tricks."

"Well yeah but still. I said nothing." Quil replied with a smirk.

"I can just call down to the store and find out." Madison moved to the wall and picked up the phone.

"Please Madison." Quil started and she paused and looked over her shoulder at him. Maybe the wolves didn't have mind tricks but Quil's eyes were another story. She sighed and placed the phone back on the base. "Thank you. Can we say that's it's part of me trying to make up for things?"

Madison sighed, "I don't want you to have to feel like you have to make up for anything. I wish none of this had ever happened." She moved back to the counter and started to unload the rest of the groceries from the bags.

Quil could feel her sadness creeping off from her body and he stood from the stool and circled the counter to stand behind her. "Come here." He turned her to face him and looked down at her. He watched helplessly as two tears rolled down her cheeks silently. "I'm so sorry." He whispered as he slowly wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. "As much as it hurts, and as hard as it is," He spoke softly as he pulled her small frame against his chest, "maybe it happened for a reason." He felt her humorless laugh and sighed resting his head on hers, "I know, but everything happens for a reason." He felt her nod and felt her body tense as she tried to hold back her tears. "You can let go. You don't have to hold back for my sake." His words were all she had to hear before she wrapped her arms around his waist and cried.

Outside, the light from her kitchen painted the ground a hollow gray as Jacob stood in the shadows and watched the display. He felt his anger rise as he watched Madison cry into Quil's embrace. He growled as she pulled back and looked up Quil when she was cried out. He watched as Quil lowered his head toward Madison and turned on his heel and stormed through the trees.

"Thank you." Madison whispered as she pulled back from Quil's embrace.

"You have nothing to thank me for." Quil replied with a smile before lowering his head and kissing Madison gently on the forehead.

"I have food. That's a huge thank you." Madison said and sighed before wiping the tears from her face. "How about I thank you by fixing you a proper dinner?" Madison laughed as Quil's stomach growled at the thought of food. "I'm taking that a yes."

"I couldn't turn it down if I had to." Quil replied with a laugh and turn to take his seat again.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: There needs to be an award for best beta... Mist would win! :D

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Madison smiled up at Quil as they stood by her front door. He was happy to see that the smiled finally reached her eyes. He had hoped before he left for the night that she would actually smile.

"I hope you realize that after that good of a meal that I'm going to be coming back here again." Quil stated with a laugh as he propped against the railing on her front porch.

"Well, I don't know that I would complain if you did. It's nice to actually have company for once." Madison replied quietly.

"I know what you mean. It seems like I see the same people every day." Quil stated as he heard a rustling in the woods at the edge of her property. Madison noticed his preoccupation and moved to stand beside him.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure but I think it's one of the guys." He felt her stiffen and heard her breath catch, and quickly added, "It's not Jacob. He knows better." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side as Madison saw a gray colored wolf ease from the edge of the woods.

"Is it Embry?" She asked trying to make out the wolf's face in the twilight darkness.

"Yeah," Quil spoke as the wolf neared the porch. When he stopped at the stairs Quil turned Madison's head into his chest and she knew that Embry would be standing before her when she looked up. She listened for the sound of him changing back to human form but heard nothing more than the sound of his zipper as he pulled his shorts on. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" Madison asked as Quil released her.

"Em wouldn't have come here unless something was wrong." Quil replied and waited for Embry to answer.

"I don't know exactly what is wrong. I just know that Jacob's super pissed and all I could see was you."

"Oh." Madison gasped and looked up at Quil before pulling away from his embrace.

"Don't worry, everything is okay."

"Then why is he mad at you?" Madison asked not putting two and two together until after she asked the question and caught the look that Embry shot Quil. "You mean…" She paused trying to make it all make sense in her head, "He's mad at you for being here with me?" When Quil didn't answer she looked over at Embry. "Is that why?" She felt her blood boil as he lowered his head without answering.

"It's okay Mad." Quil said pushing himself from the post and turning to her.

"No, it's not okay. He has no right to be mad at you. You haven't done anything wrong." Madison spoke softly her tears hiding the anger that was rushing through her body.

"I'm sorry." Embry said his hands in his pockets.

"It's not your fault Em. Jake got his head in his ass, not anything you've done."

"I just didn't know what to do," Embry's voice was quiet. He hated conflict within the pack of any kind and since the split any hint of it was hard for him to handle.

Quil placed one hand on Embry's shoulder, "It's okay. Everything will be okay." Embry nodded and seemed much more at ease, and Madison envied his calmness.

She looked up at him as he turned back to face her, "I'm sorry Madison, but I need to go with Embry and take care of this." Madison didn't speak but she nodded and wrapped her arms around herself and Quil cursed Jacob mentally as he saw the walls surround her again. He pulled her into his arms and rested his head on hers. "I'll come back if you want me to." He whispered quietly. He knew that Embry would hear him, and wasn't shocked by his quiet gasp.

"No, I'll be okay. I don't want there to be any more trouble because of me. I've caused enough trouble for everyone." She spoke quietly and he felt her tears dampen his shirt again.

"Madison you have done nothing wrong, nothing at all." He took her shoulders in his hands and pulled her away from his body, "Nothing that you have done has caused this. There is nothing that you could have done any different than what you have done. Please understand that." He wiped the tears from her face again with his thumbs and smiled down at her gently. "I'll come back by when I'm through and if you are awake I'll stop by okay?" He grinned down at her when she smiled tentatively back at him. He kissed her forehead and turned toward Embry.

Madison watched as they made their way toward the edge of the woods, she turned and entered the house when she could not see their forms in the darkness. She slammed the front door hard enough that the glass rattled. She cringed waiting to hear the glass shatter but relaxed as she didn't hear the tale tell sound she had expected. She sighed, her anger again replaced with pain.

_I can't believe this. How can Jacob even begin to think he has a right to be angry with him? At least Quil had the decency to be __**nice **__to me!_ Madison sighed and began cleaning up the dishes from her impromptu dinner in an attempt to calm her own nerves.


	5. Chapter 5

Jacob looked up as he smelt Quil nearing his location. He had shifted back human when he realized that Embry had picked up on his anger. He didn't want to have explain this situation to anyone else; it was hard enough as it was now. Jacob's eyes narrowed as Quil and Embry passed through the last of the trees protecting the glade from the rest of the woods. He turned his back on his pack members and went back to surveying the mountain side. He heard Quil shift but continued to ignore him.

"Do you make a point of snooping around people's houses at night, or is that something you hold in reserve just for Madison." Quil's tone was curt and he didn't attempt to hide any of his irritation.

"I don't owe you an explanation." Jacob still refused to turn toward Quil.

"Well if you don't owe me one, you sure as hell owe Madison one."

"Oh I'm sure you took care of that for me, now didn't you?" Jacob cut his eyes toward Quil and Quil shook with his attempt to control his raging temper.

"I don't sleep with women and then leave them!" Quil spoke through his clenched teeth, his hands in fisted balls. He had no idea why he was so suddenly enraged by Jacob's accusations; he would spend time discovering the reasons why later but now he had to defend Madison, since Jacob was determined to undermine her.

"Oh, you don't?" Jacob sneered and turned toward Quil for the first time, "So what you are saying is that I just fucked Madison and left her? You think I don't care about her?"

"I know you don't. If you did you wouldn't be doing anything like this to her." Quil spoke fast and quiet but anyone could see he was fighting his temper.

"I guess that shows just how well you know me. You are banned from shifting until I say so." Jacob smirked knowing that not being able to shift would cause Quil more discomfort than any of his wolves, being that he was the latest to change. He stared at Quil as he shifted and smirked at him as he trotted out of the clearing. He looked over his shoulder once more and headed toward Madison's house.

Madison flipped on her porch light and opened her front door, she couldn't remember if she had locked her porch door. All she needed tonight was have a raccoon find its way onto her porch and scare her half to death. She knew that would be all she needed to push her and her nerves over the edge.

She didn't see him until he was at the base of the staircase and yelped in fear when she did. "Jacob!" She spoke to the russet wolf smiling up at her sheepishly. It only took her a second to regain her composure and for her anger to rear its head again, "I have nothing to say to you. So you can take your flea bitten ass right on back where you came from." Madison hurried to lock the screen door and turned on her heel and left him at the bottom of her stairs. She should have known that he was far too stubborn to let it go at that. Her heart ached as she heard his voice.

"Madison." He called to her his voice soft and warm, like your favorite warm comforting blanket.

She hadn't heard him change, hadn't heard his clothing rustle and her mind threw her a curve ball and her mouth went dry as her mind saw him standing there naked. She swallowed and stumbled only once as she continued back to her house.

"Madison, please talk to me."

"No, Jacob. You made it perfectly clear how you felt about me. I don't have to do anything else." _Except love you,_ her heart added sadly. She sighed and fought back the tears as pulled open the door.

"I'm sorry." She heard the hurt in his voice and couldn't help but turn and look at him. He met her eyes and before she knew it she was standing in front of the screen door unlocking it. She dimly remembered thinking about Quil's remark about werewolf mind tricks. "Thank you." His words brought her out of her wandering thoughts.

"Don't think for even a second that this means I'm still not pissed at you. That I've forgiven you." She turned and started back into the house. She noted mentally that he wasn't naked and for that she said a silent prayer heavenwards, she wouldn't still be standing if he had been naked behind the door. She looked back over her shoulder and finished her thoughts, "For everything."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked as he followed her into her living room.

"How dare you get mad at Quil for being there for me! You weren't there." Madison crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.

"I didn't think you would want to be around me after I said what I did."

"Oh but I'd want others to know why personal life? Think about it Jake! Don't play stupid with me, because we both know you aren't. You didn't want to deal with the aftermath." Madison turned on her heel and left him standing stunned in the middle of the room.

"Do you really think that's why I did what I did? That I didn't want to deal with you after I called her name?"

"Well it's obvious as hell to me."

"Well that goes to show just how well you know me." Jacob said snidely.

Madison sighed, as much as his words hurt her and knowing that he said them to hurt, made it all the worse as they did hurt because they were the truth, "I know." She turned again determined to keep the tears that had welled in her eyes from him.

Jacob stared at her back, shocked again in less than 2 minutes by things she said, _she thinks she doesn't know? _ "You think you don't know me?"

"How can I?" Madison didn't look at him.

"What do you mean?" He moved to step closer to her but she sensed his movement and stepped to the side away from him.

"What could I gain from what we did? That you liked sex rough? Not exactly what I call earth shattering knowledge there." _Well it had been in the beginning_, the annoying little voice in her head said. She had watched Jacob for years, knowing that she had no chance in hell when he changed and became the man he was today, but she had still wanted him. Still cherished every moment he had spent with her, knowing that she was a substitute for what he really wanted. All the memories where too much and bit her tongue to stop the tears long enough for her to get out of the room. She turned and moved quickly around him, careful not to touch his overheated skin as she headed out of the kitchen.

"Wait!" He wrapped his huge hand around her arm and was suddenly aware of how delicate she was. He turned her toward him gently, "Where-" his words died on his lips as he saw the pain shine brightly from her eyes. He had never felt as low as he did in that one moment. He had assumed that all the times he had hurt Bella when Edward was going and he had changed would be the worst he could feel but he knew now that was just a scratch on the surface of the pain he had caused Madison. He released her arm and watched as she walked into her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Jacob sighed as he moved into the living room. He sat down on her couch, his mind a million miles away and yet just a few feet away in the next room. He realized that he had two options. He could turn with his tail between his legs, literally he added mentally, or he could stand here and fight. But before he could make that decision he had to know what he was fighting for. Was he fighting for her, or for himself?

He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. First off, he knew he cared about Madison. He didn't know if he cared enough about her to give up Bella. _You don't stand a chance with Bella and you know it. _ His annoying little voice repeated in his head over and over again. "It's not fair to not give her everything I have," He whispered to himself.

"Talking to yourself, usually always is a sign of a mental deficit." Jacob looked up shocked he hadn't heard Quil's approach. Quil smirked as he propped against the doorframe.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jacob stood up quickly.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Madison?" He called out never taking his eyes from Jacob.

"Quil?" Jacob and Quil both heard her muffled reply from her bedroom.

"Yeah, are you okay?" He smirked as he turned and headed deeper into her house toward her bedroom.

Jacob ground his teeth together as he realized that Quil felt so comfortable in her house, even knew where her bedroom was. He found himself wondering just how much Quil knew about her.

"Can I come in?" Quil asked as he stood in front of her door. Jacob couldn't hear her reply but he heard her as she moved around the room. Jacob saw as the door opened but he couldn't see Madison in front of Quil but knew she was standing there as he was looking down. "Are you okay?"

"I've been better." Was her whispered reply and he felt his heart break just a bit.

Jacob watched as she wrapped her arms around Quil's waist, he heard Quil's comforting words and he felt his ire rise. He would fight for her, even if he knew it was for the wrong reason, because she had been his first.


	6. Chapter 6

Both Quil and Madison looked toward the living room as they heard the front door slam shut.

"Did he leave?" Madison asked with a sniffle.

"Yeah," Quil didn't release her but could feel Jacob's nearness fading away.

"Do you need to go?" Madison asked as she looked up at him.

"Nah." He smiled down at her and ran his hand up and down her back, in an attempt to comfort her.

"Are you sure?"She asked with a smile.

"Not going anywhere."

She smiled up at him again her face reddened with a faint blush, "Are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." He laughed softly and released her and took a small step back, "But I don't want you to have to cook every time I come over."

"I enjoy it."

"Well only if you let me take you to the store to restock you." As he finished she shook her head, "Why?"

"I'm not letting you restock my kitchen. I can do that myself." Madison stated and stepped around him into the kitchen.

He turned and watched her as she stopped at the bar, "But the question is," he followed her and sat down on the barstool beside and took her hand in his and pulled her to him, "when will you go? We both know that you didn't want to go when you went before." She sighed and watched as he ran his finger over her knuckles, "What if I took you to Forks?"

"Tonight?" She asked incredulously.

"No, not tonight." He replied knowing it was too late, "Tomorrow."

"I don't know."

"Come on. What harm can it do?" Quil asked as he watched her expression

"I just don't want to cause you any more trouble."

"Do you really think that I'm worried about that?"

"You should be."

"Madison, I have been friends with Jacob for years." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to stand between his outstretched legs, he smiled down at her as she propped against the inside of his leg and wrapped one arm around his waist, "And I'm sure that we will still be friends tomorrow, and the day after that. Please don't worry about us."

"I worry that you are doing this because you feel sorry for me and I can't stand the thought of that."

"Okay let's get this straight. I have only done one thing for you because I felt sorry for you and that was bringing you what you had picked out in the store. Everything else, every other time that I came here I did it because I wanted to see you or I wanted to check on you. Okay?" She smiled up at him hesitantly and nodded. "Well then get over there and fix me something delicious to eat." He grinned and kissed her on the forehead. Madison and laughed but did as he asked.

"I could seriously get used to this." Quil pushed back from his plate after he took his last bite and grinned up at Madison as she moved past him to the sink.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" She asked without turning.

He stood and moved quickly to stand behind her, he rested his hands on her hips, "No, I don't think so. What about you?" His question was a whisper but he felt her heart accelerate and he smiled.

"No, I don't." She turned and looked up at him, "I think I might like it."

"Good." He smiled softly down at her and found himself lowering his head toward hers.

Just as his lips brushed hers she pulled away and took small step away, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"No I'm sorry. I," He didn't know what to say but his words died on his lips as he saw the look on her face, "Madison its okay." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her tightly against him. "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's not you. I'm just not ready."

"And I realize that and I'm so sorry for not respecting that. I promise it won't happen again." _Until you're ready, _he added mentally. He moved his hand up and down her back again hoping to comfort her. "Come on, I want to sit outside."

"It's too cold." Madison responded as she looked up at him.

"I'll keep you warm." He replied, never looking at her.

He took her hand in his and led her outside. Once they were outside he moved them to the small white wicker love seat. He released her hand and she sat on the chair and he knelt down in front of the small stone fireplace across the porch from them. Within minutes he had a roaring fire warming the small area, lighting the spot in a golden glow. He sat down behind her and leaned back against the arm before he motioned to her, "Come here."

"I'm too heavy." She stated as she shook her head.

"Puh-lease." He rolled his eyes and grinned at her, when she didn't budge he took grabbed her around the waist and picked her up depositing her on his lap, "Told you, you weren't too heavy." He pulled the cover from the back of the love seat and placed it over her shoulders and made sure it was tucked tightly around her back. He wrapped his arms around her and released her slightly as she moved to a more comfortable position against him. He sighed as he felt her cooler body rest against his overheated one. "Comfortable?"

"Very much so." Madison replied trying not to think about everything that had happened in the last few days but she wasn't as careful as she thought she was.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked her softly as he rested his chin on her head.

He listened as she sighed and waited patiently, "Just thinking about everything that has happened in the last few days, and how I ended up here." She pulled away from him and looked up at him, "You don't think badly of me, do you?"

He looked down at her, "Why would I? I'm confused."

"I was just with Jacob a few days ago."

"And did you choose to not be with him?"

"No."

"Okay then you shouldn't be worried about something that you can't help. If you had been in a serious relationship with him I guess I would be a little more cautious but you weren't so it doesn't really matter, at least not to me," He paused for a second then looked down at her, "Do you think I should think badly of you?"

"I don't want you to. But I don't know really."

"Well let's not worry about it right now."

She lowered her head back to his chest and snuggled back in, "Okay."

He smiled as she seemed pleased that she was content with his declaration.

They had sat in comfortable silence, separated by short conversations for well over an hour when he noticed that her breathing had changed and she was still.

"Madison?" He whispered. He smiled down at her as she snuggled a little deeper into his chest when he lifted the cover and cool air rushed over her body. He wrapped one arm around her back and slipped his other under her legs before he stood lifting her effortlessly. She groaned slightly as he jostled her as he pushed open her front door.

"Shhh, it's okay." He whispered as he carried her to her bedroom. He realized once he got into the room that he had no idea how she slept. He shrugged and decided that tonight she would sleep clothed; he wouldn't cause any more concern on her behalf. He moved to the far side of her bed and laid her down gently. He smiled at she rolled to her side and a smile graced her face. He pulled the covers up over her and bent down, "I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered against her temple before he pressed his lips to her cool skin gently. He turned to leave the room, looking over his shoulder one more time before he left. He made sure her front door was locked, knowing that it wouldn't stop Jacob if he really wanted in but he wanted to make a point to his pack leader. He double checked the fire, making sure it was out before he made his way toward his house.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you Mist for getting these to me so fast. Like I said in my blog, it might be a while before I can update. I don't know how long it will take me to be able to update, as I won't have internet for a while. But thank you all so much for your wonderful and amazing reviews. I hope y'all like these chapters as much as I liked to write them.

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Madison woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. "Quil," His name fell from her lips before she was really awake.

"He's not here." Madison yelped in fear as Jacob's voice carried from the kitchen.

"Jacob?" Madison watched as he entered her line of vision, "What are you doing here?" She climbed from bed, feeling far too vulnerable as his eyes fell to her.

"I came to see you."

"You could have waited until I was awake. That's what normal people do, you know?" Madison bit back, her annoyance level peaking as he watched her.

"Yes, I realize that normal people do that but I was worried about you when I saw that your front door was unlocked." He tasted the lie, but ignored it.

"I'm sure that I would have been perfectly fine."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Jacob what are you getting at?"

"Well you never know. Someone could have tried to break in."

Madison didn't believe a word he was saying, and realized that he was trying to cover something that he didn't want her to know. She paused and looked at him, really looked at him and she caught him looking at her clothing, "Oh my god." She gasped as the reason for his visit washed over her, "You came here to check if I had slept with Quil."

"I never said that."

"Do you really think that you own me or something?" She moved toward him and the look on her face was enough to make him take a step back. "Let me tell you something. If I haven't made myself perfectly clear, you don't own me. You and I have had sex but you made it perfectly clear that I am not enough for you. When you can back your words up with actions we might be able to talk, but until then do not come back to my house unless I ask you to come. Do you understand me?"

"No. Why are you suddenly changing your mind? What did Quil say to you?"

"Quil?" Madison laughed and threw her arms up in the air, "Quil hasn't said a bad thing about you, even when you fucking deserved it! Don't you dare try and throw him under the bus." When Jacob started to speak she shook her head, "I don't want to hear it. Leave now."

"But," Madison shook her head interrupting him again.

"I asked you to leave. When you can follow up your words with actions we will talk, until then I don't want to see you."

"I am trying to do that now, but you won't listen to me."

"You're trying to do it now by breaking into my house?"

"Well no, that wasn't actually what I meant. I meant that I was trying to make up for what I had done. I know I've done you wrong and I'm sorry for that."

Madison stared at him in disbelief once again. She found herself a little shocked by her brazen attitude. Normally she would have bent over backwards to have him in her house, especially since he wasn't trying to have sex with her. "What?" It was the only thing that she seemed to be able to force through her lips.

"I know I've messed up, and I want to make it up to you."

"I'm not ready for you to make it up to me, and it's not like one act will be enough to make up for it all."

"I realize that, and I'm not expecting one act to be enough. But I figured something was better than nothing." He moved from the doorway and returned to the kitchen.

Madison's sense of curiosity got the better of her and she followed him into the kitchen. The moment she stepped out of her bedroom she smelt the delicious smell of bacon and eggs. She followed him, his broad shoulders blocking her view of the kitchen until he stepped to the side and let her pass.

She gasped as she saw what he had been doing. He had prepared her a breakfast fit for, well a starving werewolf. She saw biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs, steak, and numerous different fruits. She knew she didn't have much, if any, of the items now lying out in front of her and she asked, "Where did all this food come from?"

"I went to town this morning. Come and eat." He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the table. Madison resisted for a moment but her stomach screamed for a taste of it all and she followed him and sat down at the bar.

His answer made her pause, "How did you know that I didn't have that much food?" His pause to answer was all she needed, "You read Quil's mind didn't you?" It irked her to no end that he was reading Quil's mind to get ahead in her eyes. "I can't believe you would do that."

"Madison, you know as well as I do that I don't have a choice in that. I don't choose to read their mind, their thoughts are my thoughts."

"That may be the case, but no matter you didn't have to act on it." Madison's hunger left as quickly as it had come and she stood from the table. "Thank you but I won't be joining you." She moved back toward her bedroom as Jacob grabbed her arm and spun her to face him.

"I want to know why suddenly you are so against my being able to hear the thoughts of my pack members." Jacob took both of her arms in his hands as she struggled against him.

"Let go of me now, Jacob."

"I asked you a question." His voice was low, and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Jacob," Madison's voice shook, Emily's face flashing in her mind and she felt her fear spread, "Please let me go."

"Answer me." Her heart accelerated as his grip on her tightened again and his fingers began to tremble.

"Let her go." Both Madison and Jacob jumped at the sound of Quil's voice. "Get your hands off of her," Quil spoke again as he pulled her from Jacob's shocked grasp. He moved to put her at his back. "I think you need to leave."

"This isn't your house," Jacob crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Quil a snide smirk on his face.

"As of right now, I'm making this my place to tell you to leave." Quil returned the stance, and he knew he has won when Jacob's posture relaxed.

"Madison, baby what do you want me to do?" Jacob's tone was sugary sweet and Madison felt her fear spike again.

"I want you to leave." She didn't move from behind Quil's back, and she felt horribly weak for doing so but she couldn't make herself move. She leaned her head against Quil's back and she felt him lean back into her for just a second.

"Madison, you don't mean that. I'm sorry that I scared you." Jacob's tone was sincere and she knew he had not meant to scare her, but it had and she didn't know that she could handle something else knocking her down.

"Jacob please just leave. When you feel that you can do what I asked you to do then you can come back, until then please stay away."

"Tell that to my face." Jacob's anger reared again and he fought a grimace as he realized what he had said.

"I believe she had told you what she wanted you to do. Now leave before I call the cops." Jacob stared at Quil testing the honesty of his words.

Quil watched as Jacob growled and turned on his heel. He felt Madison jump as the front door slammed shut, "Are you okay?" Once he was sure Jacob was gone he turned and focused his attention on her.

"I'm fine." Madison replied and bit back tears.

"Look at me," Quil gently lifted her chin and when he saw the tears threatening to fall from her eyes he sighed and pulled her tightly against his chest. "I'm so sorry." He kissed the top of her head and held her as she cried.

When her tears had slowed Quil let Madison pull from him, "Are you okay?"

"I think so." Madison replied and ran her hand down her arms; she grimaced as she felt the soreness of her arms.

"What?" Quil lifted the sleeves on her shirt and growled as he saw the bruises forming on her pale skin.

"I'm okay, I promise. I'm easily bruised. He didn't mean to hurt me," She didn't know why she was suddenly defending Jacob, but she didn't miss the look on Quil's face.

"It doesn't matter whether he meant to hurt you or not he did." Quil released her shirt and walked to the door overlooking her backyard.

"Quil don't be mad at me." Madison's voice sounded weak and when he didn't turn she assumed he hadn't heard her. She crossed the room and stood behind him, her hand lifted to touch him but she sighed and lowered it to her side. Her head jerked up as he spoke softly, knowing that she was behind him.

"Mad, I'm not upset with you." He turned and placed his hands on her shoulder. He waited until she looked up at him before he continued, "I'm not upset with you, but I am upset with him. I just don't understand why you would want to defend him after everything he has done to you."

Madison sighed and walked away from Quil, "I," She paused trying to piece together the words, "I don't know why I feel like I need to defend him. I know everything that he has done to me, but for some reason I still love him, at least a part of me does." Her eyes closed tightly as she heard Quil inhale sharply.

She heard him as he walked across the room, back to her. "I knew you did, but it still kills me to hear you say it."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You can't help who you love," He placed his hand on her shoulder and stepped to her, her back against his chest. "But while I know that I don't want to leave you."

He let her turn and he replaced his hands when she faced him, "I don't want you to. I never said that it was a good part of me that loved him. I know what he did to me was wrong, and I don't want to be with him," _at least not right now_, the annoying little voice added.

"As long as you are sure," He ran his thumb along the side of her jawbone.

"I'm sure." Her eyes met his as he lowered his lips to hers. Her breath caught as she felt the heat from his body against hers.


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you Mist for getting these to me so fast, I love you forever!

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"Quil!" Both Madison and Quil jerked away from each other as Seth burst through the front door and came to a stumbling stop in the middle of her living room.

"Seth?" Quil moved across the room in two steps and took the younger boy's shoulders in his hand, "What is wrong?"

"There is something going on, Billy called my house and told me to get here as fast as I could without shifting." Seth's words were hard to understand, his breath coming in gasps.

"What do you mean something? Who told Billy to call?"

"Sam, Emily called to tell Jake and he wasn't there." Seth bent at his waist and propped his hands on his knees.

"So you ran four miles?" Madison exclaimed as she moved toward Quil.

"I had to get to Quil, and Leah didn't know your number. I didn't have time to wait." Seth replied looking up at her.

"Where do I need to go?" Quil asked looking out the front door.

"The river, that's all I know." Seth panted again then finished, "Don't shift."

Madison looked up at Quil as he turned to her, "I'll be back."

"You can't run that far, let me drive you."

"I have my truck; I'll be there in just a few minutes." He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead, "Don't leave and don't answer the door okay?"

Madison looked up at him, confused, "Why?"

"Just do what I ask okay, please?" He whispered as he looked down at her and when she nodded he turned but paused at the door, "I'll be back."

Quil ran down the stairs of Madison's porch in two steps, beating Seth to his truck, "Come on." Before Seth was properly in his truck he was already backing out of her driveway.

"What did Emily say?" Quil asked as they sped down the highway into the woods of the reservation.

"She said that Sam sensed something was wrong and told her that if he wasn't back in 20 minutes to call the guys and Jake."

"Shit." Quil knew how Sam worked and he knew he would never worry Emily about anything, unless it was absolutely necessary.

"That was Leah's opinion too."

"Did she say why Sam told her not to change?"

"He didn't tell her to tell them not to change, but when she went to look for him he hadn't changed, so she told us to do the same." Seth looked over at Quil, "Do you think that we will be able to stand to be around each other?" Quil sighed, the same thoughts were going through his head, the two factions of the pack had not been together since Jacob took control and broke off from the pack taking over half with him.

"I don't know I'm sure we will be okay." Quil tasted the lie on his tongue, "I just don't know."

"I was worried that is what you would say." Seth replied and looked out the window at the scenery flying by.

As soon as Quil pulled up at the river, he smelt the blood. Blood from what he didn't know but he followed the scent and began to smell the others. He passed through the trees, his bare feet gracefully missing all the dangers he instinctively knew where there. He pushed through the last of the trees, Seth close behind him, to find the two packs together on the bank of the river.

"Took you long enough," Leah spat out as Seth fell into rank beside her.

Quil looked down at the wounded wolf on the ground, its small frame shaking in pain. "What-" He couldn't find the words as the animal's body constricted once last time and then fell still.

"Who would do this?" Leah asked, her voice showing how emotional she was.

"I don't know," Sam sighed and lowered his head as he placed his hand over the wolf's chest.

Quil looked over at Jake, and saw the emotions flittering brightly behind his shuttered eyes. "Someone wants to send us a message?"

"Who would want to do that? Why did they have to torture a defenseless animal?" Seth asked his voice breaking.

"You know why." Leah snapped more against her own emotions than her younger brother's.

"I know. I just don't understand why." Seth voice pleaded and he turned to his alpha for an answer.

"Someone," Jacob licked his lips then continued, "Wanted to make a statement against all the wolves including us."

"Did any of you change?" Sam asked turning his attention to each of the pack, "If it is another wolf they could be looking for something; something to damage us, or tear us apart to a deeper level."

"What do you mean?" Paul asked he never moved, his arms over his chest seeming less comfortable in human form than wolf.

Sam stood from his kneel at the wolf's body, "I'm concerned that this could be another wolf who is looking for a weak spot amongst us to tear the entire pack apart."

"Isn't it a little too late for that?" Jacob asked, his gaze falling on Quil.

"No," Sam replied, "We are still a pack, albeit a different type but we are a pack. If there was something that could tear us apart even deeper that could be what they are looking for."

Embry finally spoke up, "Do you have any idea who could do something like this? I mean who would want to hurt us like that?"

"I don't know. It could be anyone from anywhere. We know that everyone that could have the gene doesn't live here. I don't know what would happen if they changed and didn't have someone to guide them." Sam relied, his tone soft his mind already lost in thought.

"So you mean," Leah was appalled to have to ask Sam anything, his betrayal a wound still raw as if he had imprinted on Emily only yesterday, "that this could be something like a newborn vampire?" Everyone turned to look at her, shock showing on their faces, "But a newborn wolf?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it a newborn but yes without guidance there is no telling what type of creature it could become." Sam answered, everyone's mind going back to the first time they changed knowing that every word he spoke was the truth.

Each of their times had been different but in each one there had a constant; when they changed there had always been someone on watch, someone was always in wolf form to help them. The fear would have been enough to drive a person insane, the pain of the first change was unbearable, and all of them knew there couldn't have been a way any of them would have survived it if they had to do it alone.

"There is only one option that I see," Jared moved from behind Paul, and spoke softly his ability to think things through showing in the unyielding tone of his voice. Everyone turned to look at him, "If it is a wolf that is out to harm us, then the only way that we can find out for sure, one of us needs to change. If there is a wolf we don't know we will see it."

"That might actually work," Sam replied with a smile, "We might even be able to see what he is after."

"But the one who changes has to be able to control their thoughts, being weak and showing what our weakness is going to give it the upper hand." Jared finished his hands in his shorts pockets.

"Could this be a trick; someone wanting us to change?" Leah spoke to Jacob, refusing to turn her attention to Sam.

"It could be, but we will never know unless we try it. I don't know of another way that we would be able to pinpoint another wolf's location without it. They could be anywhere." Jacob replied before turning back to Sam, "Who will change?"

"I don't care, but whoever it is needs to be strong enough to block their thoughts," Sam replied.

"Or they need to be young enough to not be worried about much." Paul said and looked across the semicircle to Seth.

"Why me?" Seth's voice rose as he looked at Jacob.

"He has a point, what is the most important thing to you?" Jacob asked with a knowing smile.

Seth grinned, "I don't know, my video games? I don't know what to do."

"Yes you do and you can do this. Just shift, listen to anything you hear, watch for anything you see and then shift back and tell us what you see okay?" He crossed the circle and placed his hands on Seth's shoulders.

Seth looked up at him, his self doubt shining brightly in his eyes. When he spoke his voice was soft, "Are you sure?"

"I trust you wholly." Jacob smiled down at him, knowing how important it was to the younger wolf to be trusted fully.

"Okay, I'll do it." Seth stepped from Jacob's grasp, turned and slid his shorts down his legs before changing.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you Mist for getting these to me so fast, you always make it so much better for me! Love you! *hugs and wolfie kisses*

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Leah looked on as her younger brother shifted and turned to face the rest of the pack. Seth looked up at Leah and grinned. Leah returned the grin and turned to the rest of the pack. She gasped as Seth yelped in pain and shook his head. She turned back to him, and the smile was gone, his laughing eyes wide with fear. "Seth?" She took a step toward him but Jacob held a hand out to stop her.

"Don't, he won't know it's you. He's not seeing us." Jacob watched as Seth took a step back from something that only he could see. "Seth?" He called to the boy, and watched as he growled and took another step back. His growl turned into a howl, a howl that made Jacob's skin crawl and he didn't think he wanted to know what he was seeing.

Seth closed his eyes and let the fire burn through him as his body changed, the bones realigning into new places, new settings. He shook his fur out when the fire subsided and turned to look at the pack, his eyes landing on the worried face of his sister. No matter how much she bitched she was a good sister, and he knew she loved them all in her own way. He smirked up at her and she smiled back and he felt relieved to know that she knew he was going to be okay. He turned to look at the other pack members and let his mind open searching out the wolf he was looking for, if there was one.

The instant he let his walls down he tasted the sickness. Bile rose in his throat as he saw what the creature saw. Suddenly it was hard for him to tell what was real and wasn't, what was threatening him and what wasn't just a figment of the other animals mind. He howled as he saw the animal's, a red coated wolf, plan play out in his mind. He shook his head, knowing that she was still alive that Quil had been at her house less than an hour ago. He howled in pain as he heard her cry for help, her voice pleading for the animal to end his cruelty upon her and end her life. He watched as the animal bit down on her pale neck and ripped flesh from bone. He gagged as the animal ripped at her clothes and screamed as loud as he could as the animal mounted her decapitated body and rode her until he filled her lifeless body with his seed.

"SETH!" Leah bolted around Jacob and took his head in her hand, "Seth change back! Please!"

Seth heard Leah's cries to him and he fought with every ounce of his will to fight off the demented creatures' thoughts. He felt the once painful burning; now a comforting end to the delusion, pour over his body.

Leah gasped as she felt her younger brother change under her hands. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tightly against her chest. He wrapped his arms around her back and sobbed shaking violently in her arms. "Seth, are you okay?" Leah spoke through her own tears as she held him tightly. When he didn't answer immediately she pulled away from him and looked down at him, "Seth are you okay?"

"It's another wolf. He's after her." Seth whispered as he looked up into his sister's face.

"Who Seth, who is he after?" Jacob asked squatting next to the two of them.

"Madison, he's planning on killing her," He swallowed and shook his head, he knew he had to tell them all he had seen, "Then he's going to rape her."

"No." Quil growled as he stared down at Jacob knowing he couldn't shift until Jacob allowed him to. Jacob nodded as he stood and they both took off toward the woods together.

Usually Quil enjoyed the feeling of the ground beneath his paws, the wind whistling in his ears but today it seemed to be tortuously slow pace in which he ran. He looked across the path to Jacob, his eyes intent on blocking the other animal's thoughts from his mind. Quil fought the urge to track the animal, wanting to end the threat against Madison before the animal could threaten her. He broke off to the right, heading toward the small trail he knew was a short cut to her house.

"_Where did you go?" Jacob called out to Quil when he saw him break to the right._

"_Shortcut," Quil replied as he jumped over a fallen log. _

"_Be careful, we don't know where he is." Jacob called back before closing the connection the best that he could. _

"_If I didn't know better I'd say you cared." Quil shot back and ducked beneath a branch._

Madison moved from the bar to the sink, the food that Jacob had cooked was now wasting away and she couldn't stand to see it or smell it any longer. She scraped the last of the continents off the plate and into the garbage disposal. She paused as she thought she heard something, a scratching noise of some sort. She turned toward the window across the room from her and moved toward it wiping her hands off on the towel lying on the bar as she passed.

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye and she turned just in time to see the end of a black tail slip around the side of her back porch.

"Sam?" She turned and made her way toward the front door, fear driving her forward. The only reason why Sam would be at her house was because something had happened to Jacob or Quil. Her chest tightened at the thought of either of them being harmed, but she had to admit that while the thought of Quil harmed upset her it was the thought of Jacob who made her heart ache. She burst through the front door and ran to the door of the porch.

"Sam?" She yelled looking for the massive black wolf in her yard. She heard a whimper, and she unlatched the door and descended the stairs, Quil's warning forgotten in her haste to ease her mind. "Where are you?" She called as she crossed her driveway and entered the woods to the back of her house. She saw a flash of a black coat and followed just knowing that once she caught up with him she would Jacob or Quil injured, or worse. Her feet moved faster and she passed into a clearing coming in after the black wolf.

"Sam? What's wrong?" She called out to the wolf before he turned and she stopped as the animal stopped. She looked around the clearing for some evidence of a damaged or broken body while she waited for him to turn. She looked across the clearing at Sam and waited for him to move. It took her several seconds before she realized something was wrong, the fear for Jacob and Quil was replaced with fear for herself.

Quil's smiling face as he left earlier flashed in her mind and his words echoed in her head, _"Don't leave and don't answer the door okay?"_ She swallowed slowly and took a step back only to hear rustling behind her. She turned quickly putting one wolf to her side and watched as a larger red coated wolf slipped out from the woods behind her. She watched as the black wolf growled sharply and took a step toward her. Madison tried to breathe around the fear strangling her as the black wolf closed the distance between them and she realized that the wolf's eyes are ice blue, and she wondered stupidly how she didn't realize that it couldn't have been Sam as the wolf was far smaller than Sam.

Madison watched as the black wolf circled around the red wolf and bowed its head at the red wolf's feet. She gasped as the red one growled and snapped at the black wolf's neck causing the black one to yelp out in pain. The red one released the black one's throat and then shoved the black wolf to the ground. Madison's heart raced as the red wolf turned its onyx eyes to her. She felt a shiver travel down her back and she suddenly knew how a rabbit felt when it was being stalked by a snake.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you Mist for getting these to me so fast. 3 you.

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Madison watched in horror as the red wolf circled her. She watched as the black one whimpered and left the opening heading back toward her house. She turned her attention back to the red wolf and fought the urge to call out to the black wolf suddenly seeing it as a lesser of two evils. She took a step back and the wolf shook its head, its eyes watching her every move.

It was a dance that she wished she had never joined. As the wolf took a step toward her, she took a step back. Her hair stood on end as it laughed, a sick hacking laugh unlike any she had ever heard before and she knew. She knew that before the day was over her life would never be the same, either by this wolf's hands or by someone else and she prayed it was by someone else.

Madison glanced over her shoulder for a split second to gauge her distance from the woods, she knew she would never be able to outrun it but she wasn't going to lie down and let it have her without a fight.

She heard it move before she saw or felt its body hit her. She screamed louder than she had ever screamed in her life; her own ears ringing with its force.

Quil pushed through the shrubs that surrounded Madison's house and bounded up the stairs. The fact that her porch door was standing open didn't hit him until he got to the front door and saw that it too was standing open. He raced into the house, his body taking up too much and he felt trapped almost instantly.

"_She's not here!" _He growled to Jacob and let him see her house as he saw it._ "She hasn't been gone long," _He inhaled her sweet smell still strong in the kitchen,_ "maybe a few minutes." _Quil turned and followed the scent toward the porch and down the stairs. He stopped mid-step as her scent seemed to die out instantly.

"_What?" _Jacob felt his concern as he exited the woods to Quil's left._ "Where is she?" _

"_I don't know. She's, it's gone. Her scent it's gone." _He continued to follow what he thought would be her trail but couldn't smell anything other than another animal.

"_There is something else here, someone else." _Jacob passed Quil and entered the woods, a scent he'd never smelled before tickled his nose. _"Go north I'll go west." _Jacob headed in the directions he had ordered and Quil broke off to the other side.

Jacob felt when the others shifted, and knew that they would soon be joined by the rest of his pack.

"_Em tell Leah to stay behind with Seth. I don't want to torture him." _

"_Okay." _Jacob felt Embry change back and almost instantly felt him rejoin the pack.

"_She said she had no intention of leaving him. What did he see?" _Embry asked. Jacob could feel the pads of his paws covering the ground between them quickly.

"_Something that even I won't touch, I don't want to know what it was. I just want to keep it from happening." _

"_Do you know where she is?" _Embry asked as he picked up on Quil's rapidly growing sense of desperation.

They all stopped as they heard Madison's scream. Jacob tasted his fear on his tongue as they raced toward the sound still echoing through the trees.

Jacob passed Quil as he bounded onto the path. They raced toward the sounds of her scream, both of them refusing to acknowledge that they may be too late. They broke into the clearing and saw the red wolf before they saw her.

She saw them as they cleared the trees and found the strength to fight harder. "Jacob! Quil!" She screamed and broke its hold on her for just a second before it tackled her again and stepped on her back pushing her face into the ground painfully.

"_Let her go." Jacob's growl carried through to his voice. _

"_Why?" The wolf asked his voice strong but his sickness was obvious. A werewolf with a mental condition, it didn't much worse than that. _

"_She's ours." Quil replied as he circled toward the back of the creature._

He leaned over her, his snout to the side of her face and she whimpered a weak pain filled sound. She jumped when he pushed her hair out of the way and sniffed her neck.

"Jacob, please." Madison could barely see him out the corner of her eyes, she didn't know where Quil was but she prayed he was doing more than Jacob was.

"_She does not wear your scent." It looked up at Quil. Jacob caught the taste of an accent just enough to know he wasn't from the west coast. _

"_We have not mated." Quil replied and fought the urge to look over at Jacob. _

"_But she has mated with him." The wolf motioned with his nose toward Jacob._

_Quil loathed having to talk to the insane animal but it was keeping him occupied enough to let him or Jacob advance on him so, "Yes." _

"_Interesting, I wonder if she is worth all of this turmoil," He looked back down at Madison and readjusted his paw on her back and she yelped in pain. "Probably not but it will be an interesting slaughter." His plans rolled through his mind both_ _Jacob and Quil growled and advanced on him. They realized that this is what Seth had seen. It was too much for anyone to see let alone a 15 year old boy. _

"_There's another wolf!" Embry called out as it crossed his path as he followed Jacob's scent. "I'm on it!" Jacob listened long enough to see Embry break to the right and saw a flash of a black coat streaking through the woods away from them._

"_Careful it could be a trap." Jacob called out and turned his attention back to the wolf in front of him. _

Madison couldn't see either Jacob or Quil and she felt panic set in worried that they had left her.

He moved so that he was at the back of the creature but it was too quick. It turned and snarled at Jacob.

"_Do you really think I'm that stupid?" _It asked, obviously convinced that it was better than the rest of them. _"I can take the most important thing away from you before you have a chance to blink." _

Before Jacob realized what he was thinking he bent and bit Madison on the nap of her neck. She screamed and fought to stay in contact with the ground as it lifted her and flung her across the clearing her body landing with a sickening thump.

The wolf's plan had worked, they both turned their attention toward Madison and the wolf broke through the woods.

"_Follow him!" _Jacob growled and raced across the clearing. When Quil didn't follow his direct order he called again,_ "Follow him and take him out." _The voice of the Alpha was something that any lesser wolf could not disobey.

Quil fought with everything in him to stay by Madison's side but when his legs obeyed Jacob's command he followed but not without a parting shot.

"_Go." _Jacob growled back before he changed and knelt beside Madison's broken body. "Madison." He called to her gently and felt a great relief wash over him as he saw her chest rise and fall. He untied the shorts from his leg and slipped them on before he lifted her into his arms. He cradled her tightly against his chest, in an attempt to keep from moving her as much as possible, and ran through the woods to the only place he knew there would be a doctor.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you again Mist for beta-ing and thank you to Chele for kicking me in the ass and making me see why I do this. I'd never do all this if it wasn't for y'all. 3!

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"_Fuck you." _Quil knew he didn't have a choice than to follow Jacob's orders but he didn't have to like it.

"_Go."_ Jacob had ordered and so he did.

He followed behind the wolf. It was just out of his grasp. He knew that if he leapt now he would lose the speed he had and it would get away from him.

He fought to pick up more speed, but the creature was smaller than Quil and was able to pull further away. He never saw the black wolf coming from his right side. He felt the air rush out of him as it tackled him and rolled with him over and over again the sounds of bones breaking echoing in his head.

He took a shaky breath the pain from his broken ribs making black dots dance before his eyes. He stood and shook out as much of the pain as he could and took off after the black wolf. He noticed it was favoring a back leg and knew if he could get to it he could slow it down if not stop it.

He felt the others as they neared him and he pushed forward. Just as the ground changed from dark dirt to the lighter gray sand of the river he snapped out and bit down on the wolf's back leg. Just as he had planned it tumbled, but it took him with it and he found himself flying through the air, the trees a moving kaleidoscope of colors above him.

He heard the animal yelp and reached out to read its mind, but saw nothing. He dug deeper attempting to see anything that would show what it had planned, but there was nothing there just a dark nothing that made his skin crawl. He had attempted to read the mind of numerous other wolves, were' and normal but there had never been anything like this. He fought to change back, knowing that if he didn't he would be in a worse shape if they had to re-break the bones that were rapidly attempting to repair themselves.

He screamed in agony as his body changed the bones that were broken unable to realign themselves as they were before. He heard the other wolves clear the woods and saw Sam as he stopped by his body. He stared up into the familiar mahogany eyes. The pain subsided enough for him to be able to speak and he took a tentative breath, "The other one dove over the cliff."

Sam nodded and looked back toward the other wolf. He turned back to Quil his eyes asking if he would be okay for a moment. Quil understood and nodded. He took a deeper breath and started moving each limb slowly hoping that everything was healing back the way it was supposed to be. He heard the wolves change and looked over his shoulder.

The shock of what he saw was enough to push him through the pain and he found himself walking to the other pack members.

"What the hell?" Paul exclaimed, "I didn't think she was a werewolf."

"I didn't either." Jared replied as Quil came to their side limping.

He stared down at the girl, well woman who was now lying where the black wolf had been. Her hair was the color of pale tan sand beneath her. He saw her nudity but it was not what kept his attention. Scars of all different shapes and sizes covered her body, and her body was the palest white he had ever seen outside of the vampires that lived on the other side of the boundary line.

"What is she?" Embry asked as he pulled his shirt off the ground where he had untied the bundle on his leg. He laid the shirt across her body, covering her nudity.

Sam shook his head, "I'm not sure, but she's not a vampire," Quil was happy he wasn't the only one who has thought of the vampires when he saw her. "Her side is bruising, badly."

They all looked over her back to her side that was lying on the sand and saw that Sam was talking about. Her back and left side was blooming into a nasty bruise.

"What is with all the scars?" Paul, never gentle in his ways, asked his face showing his disgust.

"Abuse, I've heard about it but I never thought I'd see it." Embry stated looking down at the girl.

"Abuse? What do you mean?" Sam asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"It was in an book that I read right after I changed." Embry sighed, "I just had questions I didn't even know to ask so I looked up some stuff."

"Continue." Sam nodded once.

"Sometimes a wolf who wants to be leader will break off into it's own pack and if it's not powerful enough to be dominate it will abuse other lone wolfs to make them bow to him."

"So you think that this is from one wolf?" Quil asked looking at Embry.

"The scars all look about the same size, so I'd say yeah." Embry shrugged.

"Damn." Jared summed up everyone's opinion in that single word.

"Do we need to get her help?" Jared asked as he watched her breathing slowly.

"I don't know, she is a wolf, she should heal quickly but there is something about her. Why couldn't we read her mind? She was right next to us and we didn't see her. We should have been able to see her a mile away." Sam spoke and everyone else nodded.

Sam turned his attention to Quil, "Are you okay?"

Quil looked up at him, "Yeah, just sore now. I think it's all back where it's supposed to be."

"Good." Sam nodded and turned back to the girl. "I'll carry her. We can't just leave her here." He knelt beside her and lifted her gently into his arms. "Let's head to Billy's."

"You go on, I'm going to find Jake." Quil didn't stay long enough to let anyone ask where he was going.


	12. Chapter 12

Yall know how much I detest Edward, but I needed him, so forgive me.

Thank you again Mist.

This will be it for a while, I don't know how long, but I HOPE and pray that it will just be a few days, but if it longer than that please know that I will be writing every moment that I can and I will have an update when I get internet back!

Love you all and thank you so much for all your kind words and encouragement.

To all my girls and guys at JBNP, I love you all SO much and I will miss you all SO fucking much but the freak will be back! *hugs kisses and wolfie humps*

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Jacob cradled Madison against his chest, trying to hold her as still as possible as he sprinted toward the Cullen's. He didn't try to hide his thoughts, he wanted Edward to hear him coming. Jacob thought his name as he stepped over the Cullen's property line. He wasn't shocked when he pushed through the tree line and stepped onto the gravel driveway to find Edward standing on the front porch.

Jacob watched as Edward turned his head but never took his eyes off of him and spoke over his shoulder, "Carlisle."

As Jacob climbed the stairs, Edward looked down on Jacob and stared into the face of Madison. Jacob fought the urge to shield her from his prying eyes.

"Yes Edward?" Carlisle called as he stepped onto the porch, "Oh dear." He turned immediately as he saw Madison and headed back into the house with Jacob shortly following.

Jacob followed Carlisle down stairs into the makeshift hospital room Carlisle had set up and stood just inside the door as Edward entered behind him and began pulling out the things that Carlisle thought they might need. "Place her there, Jacob." Carlisle said motioned toward the metal table situated in the middle of the room as he moved across the room toward the cabinets that lined the back of the room.

Jacob stared at him, unable to move. Unwilling to release his hold on her. He was tempted to turn and run, and wish for the best with his father. "Jake, we won't hurt her. I promise you this." Jacob growled low in his chest as Edward spoke.

Carlisle sighed and rounded the table. "Jacob, you made the right choice by bringing her here, but you have to let us do what we can. She's obviously human, and I can tell that you care for her. Please place her on the table and let me take a look. If I don't have to take x rays, you will not have to leave the room. Okay?" Carlisle nodded and Jacob sighed. He slowly took a step forward, and continued until he stood beside the small metal table. He lowered her to the table and had to fight the urge to yank her back up into his grasp as Edward moved around the table toward her.

Jacob didn't look up as Edward pushed a rolling stool toward him as he crossed the room. Jacob pulled the chair under him with his foot and sat down. He took Madison's hand in his, he marveled at how small it looked in his and his eyes searched her face.

"She'll be okay." Edward spoke never turning to look over his shoulder.

"Will you stay out of my head?" Jake growled under his breath.

"Edward, please give him his privacy." Carlisle lifted his eyes to Jacob's face and nodded. Edward returned to the table, a pen light in one hand, gauze in the other.

Jacob watched helplessly as Dr. Cullen poked and prodded Madison, seeming to touch every spot three times. He finally cleared his throat and looked up at him, "Is she okay?"

"I believe so, her heart rate is good. It's strong, I do not feel any broken bones, especially on or around her head. Edward is her mind functioning normally?"

"Wait!" Jacob roared and stood too quickly making his stool shoot out across the room and it slammed into the wall behind him with a jarring thud.

Both Carlisle and Edward jumped back at his sudden movement, "Jacob please calm yourself. I am only concerned that she doesn't have any brain damage. I do not smell an excess of blood on her brain, but I need to know that she is functioning properly." As Carlisle spoke he held up one hand.

Jacob hung his head, knowing that she was more important than his desire to keep the leech away from her. "But only as far as he needs to. Leave the rest alone." Jacob lifted his head and shot Edward a glaring look.

Edward nodded his head once and Carlisle looked from Jacob to Edward. "She appears to be functioning normally. She's not presently thinking of anything, but everything else seems normal."

Carlisle nodded, "Jacob if you could speak to her, maybe that will cause her think of you, and we will know for sure."

Jacob nodded and looked down at Madison, he felt his guilt for his actions of the last few days flash through his mind. He heard Edward's gasp and cursed him for listening to at him that moment. He bent at the waist and propped one elbow on the side of the table beside her head. He bent down and pressed his lips to her forehead, "Madison," He whispered, swallowing back tears of guilt, "Mad, I need you to wake up."

"She's there," Edward spoke quietly as if attempting to not break the moment, "When he called her 'Mad' there was a flash of his face in her mind." Jacob lowered his head to his hand inhaled deeply as he spoke.

"Very good. Let us roll her over and take care of the damage to her back, then I believe she will be okay." Carlisle seemed to be asking Jacob for his permission to do this and Jacob nodded not really knowing if it was necessary. Jacob watched as Carlisle and Edward gently rolled her onto her side. As Carlisle worked Edward handed Carlisle the things that he needed without having to be asked. It was an odd site, but for once Jacob was happy he didn't have to know everything that was being done to her. "Oh, it's nothing too terrible. I don't believe she will need stitches. She will need help to keep her back clean, but she will be fine." Carlisle spoke to Jacob as he bandaged the gash down her back with butterfly strips.

While he finished up, as Edward gathered the used material, Carlisle looked at Jacob, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Jacob stared at Dr. Cullen noting that Edward had stopped his movements and was also looking at him, "She was attacked."

"This isn't a human attack wound." Carlisle replied never taking his eyes from his ministrations.

"No," Jacob crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to determine how much he should tell Dr. Cullen.

"If you have it under control then I suppose there isn't any reason to tell us, but if when you left the situation there was still some doubt then I believe we deserve to know what is going on. We have a family to protect also." Jacob growled as Edward spoke and he thought of just how much protecting he had done for Bella when he left. He grinned smugly as Edward's face paled at the memories of Bella while he was gone.

"I think I know more about protection than you do." Jacob spoke softly, but the growl of the animal within shined brightly.

"We have more important issues at hand boys, please. Jacob," Carlisle stood slowly, letting Madison gently settle back to her back, "Please tell me what happened?"

"We believe it was a rogue wolf attack. I left my pack to take care of the problem as I brought her here." He looked at Carlisle as he spoke, never looking at Edward but willed him to speak again so he could punch him in the face.

"We would greatly appreciate it if you would let us know if the problem has been taken care of." Carlisle replied. "Okay, I have done everything I can for her. I want her to stay here so that I may continue to observe her condition at least until she awakens. Once she awakens if her mind seems sharp, and normal she will be free to go home."

Jacob sighed, "How long do you think she will be out?" He looked back down at her.

"I do not know. Perhaps it will be just a few hours, but it could be days. We have no way of knowing how much trauma this caused her until she awakens." Carlisle saw the frustrated look upon his face and sighed softly, "I'm very sorry that I can't give you more detailed answers. I will have Esme prepare the guest room on the ground floor. That way you will have a private entrance into the house." Carlisle moved around the table and placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder. He smiled as Jacob fought the urge to cringe from the cold touch, "She will be okay." He looked over Jacob's shoulder and spoke to Edward, "Come, let him be alone for a moment before we move her." Carlisle turned once more to Jacob and smiled sadly. He nodded once and left the room his eyes on the floor.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sam stood from his kneeling position and lifted the woman easily in his arms. He looked down at her once, and saw that Embry's shirt had slid from her body exposing her small breasts to everyone's view. "Embry," He called the younger man forward and Embry nodded. Embry tucked his shirt around the woman's body, pushing it between her body and Sam's chest and beneath her body and his arms. Once finished he stepped to the side and let Sam pass.

Sam resettled the woman against his body, thankful for the cloth separating his body from the scars that decorated her back. "Jared, Paul I need you to change," Sam moved his weight from one foot to the other, "I need Paul to go and scout and I need you Jared to stay with me and let me know what Paul sees. Embry I need someone to help me with her." Although Sam wasn't the Alpha anymore his voice carried the tone and the others followed without thinking.

"How are we going to explain this to the Elders?" Embry asked as they made their way through the woods.

Sam looked at Embry and sighed. He took in their group, an oversized dog, and two men walking without shirts while one carried an unconscious woman. He shook his head, if they had been anywhere else but the reservation they would be stopped the instant they stepped out of the woods, "I have no idea Embry. The truth is all I can come up with," Sam stated his voice suddenly sounded tired.

Jared whined and looked at Sam, "Exactly," Embry nodded toward the deep brown wolf walking on the other side of Sam, "What is the truth?"

"I don't know that either. Just a rouge wolf." Sam shrugged against the woman's weight and they all stopped walking as a faint moan whispered through her lips.

Jared pulled up to his full height and looked at the girl in Sam's arms, he whined again and looked at Embry then back at Sam, "No, I don't think she's waking up. Her heart rate is too calm." Sam replied to Jared's unspoken question. Jared nodded and started moving again.

The rest of the trip was quiet, all of the men in their own mind's about what had happened during the day.

Jared stopped as they cleared the woods outside Billy's house. He seemed to know what Sam was thinking as Sam turned and looked at him, "Go to Paul, patrol and then come back here in one hour. Let us know what you have found. Find where the other wolf jumped and make sure that it hasn't crossed back into the territory. This won't be like with a vamp, we will not be able to sense him when he crosses the line. In two hours someone will replace you and until Jacob comes back we will continue to switch shifts." As Sam finished he turned toward Embry, as if to ask if Embry was clear on the plan, and was agreeing to it as well. When both Jared and Embry nodded Sam continued his walk toward Billy's. Embry followed beside Sam and they both watched as Billy rolled to the front door.

"What in the hell?" He asked as he saw what Sam was carrying.

"We don't know what she is." Sam spoke clearly the thought flashes through his mind that what he was saying probably didn't sound very intelligent.

"What do you mean?" Billy asked his head turned a little to the side.

"There was a rogue wolf. She was with him, and she changed. She is has been unconscious for about 10 minutes." Billy looked from Sam to Embry and Embry nodded.

Billy turned without another word and wheeled back into the house, "Put her on Jacob's bed for the time being and cover her up." Billy said without looking over his shoulder knowing the boys could hear him anyway.

Sam and Embry did what Billy had asked and stood at the foot of the bed as they listened to Billy speak with the rest of the Elders. The boys turned as Billy wheeled to the bedroom door. "I will need you both to stay here until the others arrive, they will have questions for you. Where is Jacob?"

Both Sam and Embry looked at each other, they didn't know the answer to that question but knew that he was okay. "I don't know exactly where he is. I know that there was something with Madison, but I don't know where he is."

"What do you mean something with Madison?" Billy asked, his head turned to the side.

Sam looked at Embry as he answered, knowing that the younger man knew more than he did, "I know that the rogue wolf went after Madison, and I saw Jake with her, and she was unconscious that is all I know, that's all I could see before Jake changed back and Quil didn't know much more than that." Embry held his head high as he spoke, he always felt comfortable in front of Billy. He knew he didn't have anything to prove to his best friend's father.

"Very good. As long as he is okay." He wheeled closer to the woman on the bed. He spoke without turning toward them, "Are these bite marks?"

"We believe so." Sam replied.

"They aren't human." Billy didn't ask.

"No, they aren't. They look like dog bites," Sam's voice thinned out, and it was the only indication that he wasn't comfortable with the idea, "Could it be as Embry said? That this could be a wolf showing their dominance over others?"

Billy looked up at Sam then at Embry and nodded, "It sounds possible. But maybe Old Quil or John will know for sure."

It always seems that when you are waiting for something, it takes forever for it to happen and this was no different for Sam and Embry as they awaited the Elders to arrive. It seemed as if they were already in mid-conversation about what had happened as they filed through Billy's front door. Only Sue Clearwater looked at at Sam or Embry as they passed through the living room and into Jacob's room. This nonstop chatter stopped as they stared down at the frail looking woman in the bed.

"I don't know why you called us here. This is simply a white woman. We should be lucky if she doesn't wake before you are through taking her back to the woods." John Whitefeather said turning slowly to look at Sam and Embry finally.

"What?" Sam asked, shocked and a little appalled by his suggestion.

"This is no wolf, this is simply a white woman. She needs to be taken back into the woods and left before she causes us more trouble."

Everyone knew that could John could be a little cruel at times, but this was way beyond anything that Sam had prepared for. He knew what he was about to do would make John angry but he just couldn't take this woman and leave her in the middle of the woods, naked and alone. He inhaled deeply and went to take a step forward when Sue placed her hand on John's arm and turned him to face her.

"Now John, you are jumping to conclusions again, it is possible that this is a wolf. Perhaps if we asked the boys what they saw, they could shed a little more light on the subject?" She turned her attention to the boys, "Sam, Embry what did you see? Tell us the whole story."

Sam looked at Embry knowing that he had a fuller account of what had occurred and Embry stepped forward and told the events of the day.

As Embry finished with the story, leaving no details out, John look at him harshly then turned his attention to Sam, "Do you believe the words of this boy?"

"Yes, John I do. I was present for most of the events, I was only a few minutes later than Embry."

John started to say something else but Old Quil stepped forward his stern eyes on Embry's face, "My Grandson was there?"

Embry nodded, "We would not know what we know now if it wasn't for Quil. He ran the rogue wolf off and stopped her."

Quil nodded as if he had heard enough and turned to John, "This one does not lie, we all know this. John I know that you have reservations about his lineage, but you know that I also speak the truth. We will not be taking this woman to the woods and leaving her body, that I demand now." He turned from John to Sue, "Sue would you be willing to take her into your home? Without a woman in this household it might be a shock for her to awaken in this location."

"That is fine. I agree with you." Sue spoke softly but nodded her assent.

"Good," Billy sighed and turned to look at the boys, "You can go now. Go check on Jacob and do any other things that need to be done." Billy turned his attention to the other members of the Elders and the boys made their way out of the house.

Embry turned toward Sam as they crossed the yard toward the woods, "I will go and relieve Jared, and then go check on Jacob. I will contact Billy or have Jacob call him."

"Good. I will find out what I can about this girl and the wolf we saw today." Sam nodded and watched as Embry jogged into the woods, he heard him change form as he walked toward his house.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Jacob looked up as he heard someone at the doorway. He was surprised to see Quil making his way toward the house as they had made it a point to keep out of each other's sight since Madison's injury.

"How is she?" Quil whispered as he entered the doorway. Jake might not like the Cullen's but he had to give them credit he had made it much easier on himself and Quil by giving them a room with a doorway to the outside.

Jake sighed and looked across the room to Madison, "She's the same. No change at all." Jake leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees.

"I'll watch her. Billy is looking for you. I think he's getting pissed." Quil stated turning his attention from Madison to Jake taking in his exhausted countenance. Quil realized then how much this was taking a toll on Jake. "Jake she will be fine."

"How do you know that?" Jake replied without looking up. He ran his hand down his face and looked up at Quil, "Even the _amazing_ Dr. Cullen doesn't know if she's going to wake up."

Quil inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to push back his fear, "We have to have faith."

"Faith, yeah that got us somewhere before didn't it?" Jake shook his head and stood. He moved across the room and stood beside Madison's bed. He ran the back of his hand down her cheek, and fought back the almost constant threat of tears, "I'm sorry." He turned and left the room without saying a word of goodbye to Quil.

Quil turned and watched as he walked until he entered the woods and heard his howl as Jake changed. Quil sighed and turned back to Madison, he knew that he had so much ground to make up with Jake, but at the moment his mind was consumed with worry for her. He moved Jake's chair closer to the bed, and took her hand in his. He smiled sadly as her much smaller hand moved bonelessly in his palm. He ran his finger down the delicate bones, his skin just barely a shade darker than hers, but still her's had an unhealthy hue to it that made his stomach tighten. He looked up at her face, noting the same color decorated her face also, almost like a pale skin laid over her normally russet skin.

"Oh," Quil looked up as he heard Carlisle at the door, "I was expecting Jacob."

"Sorry, he just left." Quil replied and turned back to Madison.

"No need to apologize, I just hadn't realized that he had left." Carlisle replied and smiled.

"Is she..." Quil started but didn't know what he really wanted to know.

Carlisle smiled down at him as he stopped at the far side of Madison's bed, "She is doing much better. Edward says that she is now dreaming as she sleeps, which is a wonderful thing. Dreams are an indication that her mind has done a great deal of healing, it's allowing itself to work as it normally does. Not just working to heal it's self."

"Do you think she will wake soon?" Quil asked, his heart finally out of it's spiral of doubt.

"That I can not answer, but I believe that she will awaken, I just don't know when." Carlisle replied checking her IV.

"Do you think that you will know before she wakes? Like so we can all be here when she does?" Quil asked, watching Carlisle as his hands moved deftly over Madison's body checking her vitals.

Carlisle turned his attention to Quil quickly as if surprised by the question, "Well that is a very good question. I supposed that if Edward were here, then yes we would know if she coming into consciousness. If that should occur would you like for one of us to contact you?"

"Would you do that?"

"Of course, what ever you would like for us to do." Carlisle replied.

"Yes, I want to be here when she wakes up." Quil said, not taking his eyes off her face.

"Very well. We may not know, but if we know that she is going to wake and you aren't here myself or Esme will contact you."

"Thank you." Quil replied looking up at Carlisle finally.

"No need to thank me." Carlisle turned and made his way toward the door.

"Thank you for taking care of her," Quil followed him with his eyes.

Carlisle looked up before he opened the door, "I may be a vampire, but above all I am a doctor. You owe me no thanks for taking care of the sick." Quil nodded and turned back to Madison as Carlisle pulled the door together after him.

Jacob howled as his changed, his already tired body aching with the change.

"_It's about time." Leah scolded as she felt him change. _

"_Please, not today." Jake groaned, unwilling to be bitched at by anyone other than who was necessary. _

"_Well , you have been gone for almost a week. What do you expect." She replied, but tried to keep her tone at least somewhat kind. _

"_What do you want me to do? Just leave her there with the leeches?" He bit back unwilling to soften his tone. _

"_I'm not saying that but you don't have to spend every minute there you know. You do have a job to do here." _

"_I'm not Alpha as of now." Jake reminded her that he had refused to take the helm from Sam when he first changed. _

"_But you are, you just won't admit it." Leah replied and changed her form before he could reply. _

Jake sighed, happy to be alone for at least a few minutes. He had no doubt that one of the others would be taking her place and he took the precious moments of peace to think about the last few days. He thought back to Madison's dreamless sleep, and he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that all this way his fault. Could he have changed anything and it kept her from being in this situation? He didn't know the answer to the question and he had no idea of anyone who could answer it.

Jake found himself at his own home far too quickly for his own liking, and even more upsetting was his father sitting on the back porch waiting for him. He was tempted to turn and go the other way until his father called his name.

"Jacob Ephraim Black." Jake sighed at the tone in his father's voice and he continued out of the woods. "Get up here, change and get dressed." He watched as his father turned and wheeled his way back into the house, expecting Jake to follow his order without question. Jake found himself following closely behind his father.

He didn't let the idea that he had followed his father's orders perfectly irk him until he sat in the living room on the couch across from his father.

"I know that you care for Madison, and I know that somewhere in your head you believe, or at least think that what happened to her is your fault." Billy held up his hand as Jake started to interrupt him, "But son you have to realize that while you are upset by her illness that you have a job to do here. You are the Chief's son and you are expected to make at least a few appearances here and there."

"So you want me to leave her with the leeches too?" He asked, his ire finally getting the best of him.

"No, I'm not saying that, but there are other members of the pack that care just as deeply about her as you do." Billy replied and Jake knew he was speaking of Quil and it set Jake's temper off.

"He doesn't know the first thing about her." Jake roared and jumped from his seat.

"I think he knows plenty about her." Billy replied attempting to calm his son's temper, "I know what happened Jake." Jake turned slowly and looked at his father, wondering exactly what he was talking about. "No, Quil didn't tell me. Sam saw it the last time Quil changed and he thought that I needed to know why you might be staying by her side."

Jake swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the thought of his father knowing what he had done, "Well isn't that just lovely."

"Now, Jake. You know what you did was wrong, or you wouldn't be this upset with me knowing, but everyone makes mistakes."

"Mistake?" Jake asked sarcastically with a humorless laugh, "Is that what this is called? A mistake?"

"Yes, a mistake. You didn't kill someone Jake, she is going to survive. You slept with her, and yes it was wrong that you slept with her when you were, are in love with someone else but it's not the first time it's happened and you won't be the last to do it. It's not okay Jake, but it will be." Billy wheeled closer to his son; knowing the tense set of his shoulders as a sign that he was getting through to him. "Son, you need to stop beating yourself up over this. These two incidents are not connected. If you hadn't slept with her, then the wolves would have still come, we don't know what could have happened, but you can't blame yourself for _all_ of this."

"Don't you see?" Jake turned to look down at this father, "It is my fault."

"How is it your fault?"

"If I hadn't slept with her, if I hadn't asked Quil to walk her home then I'd never torn her between us. She wouldn't have gone into the woods after the wolf, and he would have never smelt my scent on her." Jake's voice broke as he thought back to the wolf's words, "He would have never been tempted to see why we were tearing ourselves up over her."

Billy watched as Jacob knelt in front of him and laid his head in his lap. He rubbed his son's shoulders as he cried, his whole body shaking with the force of his tears.

Jake lifted his head a short while later and leaned back, settling himself into a normal sitting position stretching his aching knees out in front of him. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hands; lifted his knees back in front of him and looked up at his father.

"You are acting like I never messed up when I was your age, I did just as much damage as you did." Billy spoke softly, "I promise it will be okay."

"I wish I could change it all."

"There will be so many times in your life that you will say that, but maybe this is a time when the Spirit Ones want you to learn a lesson." Jake laughed softly as his father's words. It had been years since he had attempted to teach Jake a lesson through his cultures' beliefs. It was a welcome change from hard lessons his life seemed to be throwing at him lately.

"Possibly."

"Good, then think about it and you will see what you are supposed to learn from it." Billy replied and Jake watched as his father's face hardened and he knew the subject had changed. "But while you are dealing with this I think we need to set some ground rules, you will be expected to be here every other day. I will not have you staying away from the reservation for this long again."

Jake nodded, knowing that he had a duty to his people, and even if he wasn't the official Alpha of the pack he was still needed by them. "I'll do better."

"I expect no less." Billy replied and nodded his head once.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Three days later, Jake laughed as he neared the Cullen's house to see Seth's wolf form laying in the floor at Madison's bedside, "I don't think I will ever understand why you are so determined to stay like this every time you stay here." Jake whispered as he pushed open the glass door as he entered Madison's make shift hospital room.

Seth looked up at him, whined pitifully and cut his eyes back toward the door leading out into the rest of the house.

Jake nodded, "I know, but if I thought that you were in danger I would have two of you staying at the same time."

Seth tilted his head as if asking if Jake trusted them.

"Not even a little, but they won't hurt you." Jake replied and held open the door. Seth stood and stretched slowly, grunting as his stiff muscles moved for the first time. Jake smiled as he pushed the door closed behind his smaller pack member and moved to Madison's bedside. He sat down heavily in the chair beside her and watched her as she slept.

While he still had days that he felt everything was his fault, he was having more days of feeling that she would be okay, so to him he believed it was a good sign.

"Hey Mad, it's Jake." He took her hand in his, folding his fingers over hers, his larger hand engulfing hers completely. "I really wish you would wake up," He started, but his voice broke as the thought crossed his mind, "If you are trying to make me feel bad, you've done it. I feel like a total ass." He paused, and tried to calm himself. He hated to feel so emotional around her, especially here with Edward just a room or two away probably reading his mind, "I miss you Mad, please wake up." He stared down at her, and after so many times of this same game he still felt the defeat as her eyes stayed shut. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, her hand still in his, his fingers holding on hers tightly.

Jake sat straight up in his chair as something yanked him from his sleep. His eyes feel to Madison's ever sleeping form. Suddenly behind him he heard the door to Madison's room open and he stood and spun not knowing what was coming but prepared for anything.

"Seth?" He ran to the door as Seth stumbled into the room. "What the hell is wrong?" Jake asked as Seth collapsed to his knees, naked, and gasping noisily for air. Jake knew that Seth had changed too quickly for his body to recover from and knew how much it took out of your body to change back after using too much energy as a wolf; it took a while for the human half to catch up.

"The girl." Seth started trying as hard as he could to catch his breath and tell Jake what he had run over four miles to tell him, "at my house," Jake nodded knowing he was speaking of the white wolf as the Elders were now calling her, "is waking up."

"What?" Jake lifted Seth from the stoop and carried him further into the room. He untied the younger boys shorts from his leg and held him as Seth pulled them up his legs. Once the boy was dressed he helped him to the chair and knelt beside him, "Are you going to be okay here?"

"As long as I don't have to run I will be okay." Seth said with a weak smile still struggling to catch his breath.

"Thank you. I will be back, or I will send someone to get you as soon as I can okay?"

"Send someone with a car, I don't want to walk that far back." Seth replied with a wry smile, his breath coming a little easier.

Jake smiled, "I will and thank you." Jake turned to leave the room but paused to turn back to Madison, he moved back across the room to her bedside, bent and kissed her forehead, "I'll be back." He whispered against her cool skin and left the house pulling the door closed behind him.

Once in the privacy of the woods he pulled a string out of his jeans pocket and slid them down his legs. He folded them and pulled his shirt over his head and folded it placing it on top of his jeans. He took the two items and tied it to his right leg. He shook his head and slipped within himself, finding that dark corner of his mind where his wolf stayed. He opened himself to his beast and felt it wash over him. He fell to his knees as his bones broke and realigned themselves. He gritted his teeth as his skin felt like it was ripping itself apart, the fur washing over his body, and his groan changed to a howl as his face elongated. He shook his body out, his beast loving the feel of the cold night air against his fur. He inhaled one time and howled letting his pack know that he was on his way.

Four miles away in Sue Clearwater's crowded spare bedroom, Billy looked up as Embry lifted his head from his paws, "Is he coming?"

Embry nodded once and Billy watched as Embry's eyes unfocused and he knew that Embry was talking to Jacob.

"Does he know where to go?"

Embry paused and then nodded his head again.

Billy turned his attention back to the young girl laying on the bed, her face was whiter than normal, a thing Billy wasn't sure could happen until it did. While she was waking; she wasn't well. He watched as she tossed and turned, her face taunt with whatever dream was washing over her now. She had woken earlier, for only a minute but it was clear that she wasn't lucid enough to know that she was awake. He watched as Sue ran the cool rag over her head again.

"I don't think this is normal, Billy." Sue whispered never turning her attention from the woman softly thrashing on the bed.

"No, I don't either." Billy replied, thinking of their options. He knew there was only one doctor that he could call, but he knew that it would be against most of the Elders to do so.

"Are you going to call him?" Sue asked finally turning her head to look at him.

"I don't think I have much of a choice."

"I agree, if we loose her because we didn't call, I don't think I could stand it."

"I know." Billy smiled and reached across the woman and patted Sue's hand. He nodded and turned his wheelchair around. He started toward the door and paused to look at Embry, "Let me know when Jake gets close." Embry nodded once and Billy made his way out of the room.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: This will be it for a while again as I am waiting to get internet. Mist, you blow my mind at how fast you got these back to me and I love you for it! Thank you so much!

* * *

"_We are at Sue's house." Embry stated as he felt Jacob's presence in his mind._

"_What's going on?" Jacob asked as he saw the last few hours pass through Embry's mind._

"_I don't know, I don't think your Dad or Sue know either. It's like she's fighting to stay asleep, or something is trying to make her stay asleep and she's fighting."_

"_But Seth said she woke up." Jacob stated as he leaped over a fallen log scaring a chipmunk as he landed. _

"_She did but it was just for a moment, it appeared at first that she was fully awake and that's when Sue sent Seth. It wasn't until he left that we realized that she wasn't well." Embry thought back to the past few minutes, letting Jacob see what had happened. _

_After watching Embry's narrative he replied, "I'm almost there, let Dad know." _

"_Okay." Embry replied. _Embry stood from the floor and made his way toward the living room where Billy was speaking softly into the phone.

Billy looked up as he heard Embry's claws clicking on the wooden floors of the living room. He placed his hand on the mouthpiece and asked, "Is he near?"

Embry nodded and sat down on his back haunches, suddenly feeling too large for the cluttered room.

"Okay, thank you again Doctor Cullen, we will see you then." Billy spoke into the mouthpiece of the phone and placed the receiver back on the base before turning his chair toward Embry. "How close is he?"

Embry looked through to Jacob's point of view and motioned with his snout and a grunt as Jacob moved from the woods onto Sue's gravel driveway.

Billy nodded and moved to the door, pulling it open as Jake stepped onto the front porch. Jacob entered the house and stilled. He closed his eyes and pushed back his beast, feeling his bones slide back into the original placements. He shivered as the air conditioning of Sue's house washed over his naked flesh.

Billy and Embry waited while Jake pulled his jeans up and zipped them. Billy took Jake's shirt and laid it across his lap. "Okay, so what are we going to do?" Jake asked as they made their way toward the girl and Sue.

Billy took a deep breath as he led the way, "I've called Dr. Cullen."

"Do you think that was the right thing to do?" Jake asked, worried about the Elder's opinions.

Billy turned into the room and came to a stop beside the bed, "I called the Cullens," He spoke to Sue then turned back to face Embry and Jake. "I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but I couldn't let her stay like this. Sue and I both believe it was the only option we have."

Jake nodded and agreed with his father's words as he looked down at the young woman. He watched as her face contorted, then relaxed only to be followed by a painful groan. "When will they be here?"

"Dr. Cullen said he would be leaving as soon as Edward returned," Billy watched his son's face as he spoke and wasn't surprised to see his reaction.

"We need to send someone to replace Seth," Jake said and looked at Embry as he chuckled, a harsh sounds coming from a wolf's throat, "Oh he said he would like someone to pick him up." Jake grinned at his friend as Embry rolled his eyes.

"Pick him up?" Sue asked looking over her shoulder.

"He was drained when I was there, he could barely tell me what he needs to tell me."

"That boy," Sue shook her head as she smiled. Her smile faded as the girl gasped, and her body shook from some unknown terror.

"I don't know-" Billy started but stopped mid-sentence and looked at Jake as Embry lifted his head as they sat with the girl a little over an hour later.

"Here they come." Jake stated, feeling the instant the Cullen's crossed the treaty line. Embry whined and lowered his head back to his paws. "Make sure that all the others know why they are coming." Jake said to Embry and he nodded slightly.

It was just a few minutes later Jake and Embry rose to their feet and made their way to the living room. Jake pulled open the door and followed Embry out onto the porch as the Cullen's pulled onto Sue's driveway. Jake propped against the intricately carved post of the porch, as Embry trotted down the stairs onto the gravel.

Jake watched as Edward and Carlisle stepped from the black car, "Hello Jacob," Edward spoke first then turned his attention to Embry, "Embry."

"Edward," Jake replied unable to be more cordial, and he grinned as Embry growled softly. Jake knew Embry didn't mean it to be mean in any way, but he still enjoyed the look on Edward's face as he passed the gray wolf.

Always the peacemaker, Carlisle stopped once he topped the stairs, "It's a pleasure to see you, Jake. I wish it was on different terms."

Jake felt his ire rise as he felt his annoyance toward Edward subside, "Me too." Jake replied and pushed from his spot and turned toward the door. He glanced back over his shoulder to Embry who glanced back at him and then turned toward the woods. Jake knew that while he hated Edward's unusual talent, it disturbed Embry on a deeper level and he wasn't surprised that he wanted to be away from the vampire as long as he could. "Stay close." Jake called and heard Embry's short yip. Jake pushed open the door and led the two visitors to the spare bedroom.

Jake stepped out of the way to let Dr. Cullen enter the room and was close enough to Edward to hear his gasp of shock as he stepped into the room.

Carlisle's head snapped back as did everyone else, "What is it Edward?"

"I didn't think it was possible." He replied softly.


	17. Chapter 17

"You didn't think what was possible?" Carlisle asked the question everyone wanted to know.

"I thought it was impossible for a werewolf to suffer a vampires' venom and survive." He replied tearing his eyes away from the young girl.

"It is impossible. There has never been a wolf that has survived it." Sue replied standing from the bed.

Edward turned his attention back to the girl, his eyes never leaving her face, "Can I touch her?"

"Why?" Jake asked before he could stop himself.

"Jake!" Billy ground out through his teeth, "Yes."

"Thank you." Edward said turning his gaze to Billy before moving toward the girl. He gently pulled her arm from under the linen coverlet and turned it over his hands, his fingers tracing the bites he encountered there.

"Carlisle, look at this." Carlisle moved to Edward's side and looked down at the marks which Edward was looking at. "Some of them are cold to the touch." Edward looked up at Carlisle as he spoke.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked, his tone soft so soft that Jake doubted that his father or Sue could hear him.

"Not completely, but almost." Edward replied looking back down at the girl before replacing her arm under the cover.

"May I ask what is wrong?" Sue asked, her hands clasped before her as she moved to stand beside Billy.

Carlisle cleared his throat and placed his medical bag on the end of the bed before turning toward Billy and Sue, "Edward believes that she is a hybrid."

"Hybrid?" Sue asked her gaze falling back onto the girl.

Edward stood before he spoke, "She is Quileute, but she has been bitten numerous times by a vampire. As impossible as it may sound, I believe that is what most of these bites are."

Billy gaze stayed with Carlisle, "Would there be a possibility," He paused as if attempting to find the right words.

"There would be." Everyone turned their attention to Edward as he spoke of Billy's thoughts, "It would be the best of both worlds." Billy nodded and Edward continued to explain to everyone else, "Billy wondered if there would be a benefit for a vampire to feed off of a wolf. If he or she feed from it while in wolf form, it would be no different than what we do, but it would have the properties of human blood that would keep us strong. It is possible that there would be an added benefit of some unknown nature, as seeing that the werewolf is so much strong than a normal human."

"So what you are saying is that if a vampire fed from werewolf instead of just killing it, that it would be like an energy drink for vamps?" Jake asked incredulously.

Edward smiled slightly, "More like a protein shake of some sort, not only would it give us energy it would strengthen us also."

"That is disturbing." Sue replied, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I just can't imagine being used as a personal meal provider for anyone."

"How can she be Quileute, be a wolf and us not be able to read her mind?"

"I do not understand that myself, but it could be something to do with the fact that she isn't a part of the tribe." Edward replied.

Billy turned his attention back to Carlisle, "Do you think she will wake?"

"Edward is she dreaming?"

"Yes, very vivid dreams."

"I would estimate that she will wake soon, the more vivid the dreams one has the closer one is to consciousness." Carlisle opened his bag and pulled out a vial and a syringe, "Now with her being a possible hybrid I'm not a hundred present sure that she has a fever, but just in case I'm going to give her a shot of antibiotic. It won't harm her even if she isn't running a fever." Billy nodded and watched as Carlisle moved around the girl and gave her an injection in her left arm.

Quil stretched as his wolf folded back into his body. He pulled his jeans up his legs and made his way to the door. He pushed open the door and grinned down at Seth, sleeping soundly in the chair beside Madison's bed. He moved to her bed and sat down on the edge pulling her hand into his lap. "Mad it's Quil." He ran his finger down her hand, feeling the bones beneath the surface. "I know this probably sounds crazy coming from me, but I miss you." He squeezed her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the cool skin.

"You know," Seth said yawning, "I'm so going to tell her that you were blubbering over her while she slept."

Quil laughed, "You go right ahead." He welcomed the day that someone could tell her, because that meant she was awake.

The movement was so faint, so soft that at first Quil didn't feel it and turned to Seth, "Where is-" he looked down at his hand as he realized what had just happened. His eyes snapped to Madison's face, "Mad?" He squeezed her hand again, his heart pounding in his chest. "Seth! She squeezed my hand!" He exclaimed as the same faint movement pulled at his hand.

"Ain't that one of those automatic movements?" He knew he had heard something about those on some show on TV.

"No, she did it twice. Mad, Madison wake up. Please just open your eyes." He moved until he was kneeling at the side of the bed, her hand at the side of his face. He stared at her until he felt his joy fade and he lowered his head to the side of the bed.

"Maybe it means she's close to waking up?" Seth said a few minutes later as Quil stayed in his spot by the bed.

"Maybe." He replied sadly. "I just really thought she was there."

"She's still there, she's just asleep." Seth replied helpfully.

"It's not the same Seth." How could he explain this to him, "When she opens her eyes, then it will okay until nothing is good." Quil lowered his head to the bed, his hand still grasping hers.

"I'm sorry man."

"It's alright. Go home. I'm gonna stay the night with her."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Quil replied fighting the tears of frustration. He looked up at Madison only when he heard Seth pull the door together behind him, "Please Madison," his tears falling openly from his eyes, "open your eyes, even if you don't remember me, just please wake up."

"Now if she doesn't wake," Carlisle looked at Edward and he nodded, "two days call me back and we will come take another look. There might be something different."

"Thank you Doctor." Billy said as he wheeled behind the two vampires to the door Sue's house.

"You are more than welcome. Perhaps we can meet on better terms next time."

"Perhaps." Billy replied with a tight smile.

Carlisle followed Edward out to the car. "Does he know?"

"No, he doesn't."

"Perhaps it's for the best. At least for now." Carlisle replied with a nod and settled himself behind the wheel.

Somewhere on the Quileute boarder, just out of range for any of the pack to feel, a man paced. Toeing up to the line he growled deep in his throat as he felt the centuries old magic push back against him, magic that would herald his arrival should he cross the line. He growled again as he moved away from the line knowing that he would have to wait. Once again wait for what was rightfully his.

But this time, he would leave with more than he came with.


	18. Chapter 18

"You're going to damage your back if you keep sitting like that." Quil grumbled under his breath as his mom cautioned him. "Quil," Quil pushed her voice away wanting just ten more minutes of sleep. "Quil wake up."

He sighed as he felt the very desired sleep falling away from him. Keeping his eyes shut he listened to the world around him and the smell of vampires surrounded him; within an instant he sat straight up in the chair he had been leaning back in and stared at the bed to his right.

"It's about time." Madison stated with a weak smile.

"Madison?" He stared at her and blinked, "Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

He watched as she lowered her hand to his in what he expected to be a caress, and he jerked back as she pinched him, "Ouch! What the hell did you do that for?"

"Well did it hurt?" She asked, her voice soft in it's weakness.

"You know it did."

"Well then you know you aren't dreaming." She chuckled softly and Quil realized that he wasn't dreaming.

"Oh," He whimpered as he fell to his knees at the side of the bed, "you are awake." He took one of her hands into his and pushed back her hair from the side of her face with his other.

"How long have I been asleep and where exactly am I?" She asked looking around the room slowly.

"You've been gone for almost two weeks." Her hand tightened in his hand and he smiled reassuringly, "And you are at the Cullen's."

Her eyes widened, "Why am I at the Cullen's?" She paused then continued, "And what do you mean by gone?"

He sighed, while he was grateful that she didn't remember the fear she must have felt it still broke his heart that she didn't remember what happened, "You got hurt baby and you passed out." He tried to put it delicately as not to frighten her but he saw the instant the memories returned. Her hand in his tightened and he heard her heart race. "Shh, it's okay."

"Where is it?" She asked then shrieked as a knock sounded on the interior door.

"Come in." Quil called never taking his eyes off Madison, "He's not going to hurt you again."

Quil glanced quickly at the door as Carlisle came into the door, "Hello Madison, I'm happy to see that you are awake." She nodded slowly, her eyes staring out the glass windows around her room.

"Madison look at me." Quil called to her again when her eyes didn't turn to him. He touched her cheek and pulled her gaze to him, "He will never hurt you again, I won't let him."

"Hold me," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Quil climbed from the floor quickly and sat down on the side of the bed before pulling Madison into his lap, "I promise you he will never hurt you again." He ran his hand up and down her back, rocking her as she cried into his chest. Quil looked up at Carlisle beseechingly as she sniffled. Carlisle nodded, held up one finger and left the room.

Quil rocked Madison until he felt her relax in his arms and he heard her breath slow. He lifted her gently from his lap and lowered her to bed. She whimpered as he released her, her brows knitting together. "Shh, I'm here." He lifted her hand back into his and she quieted, turning her body toward his warmth in her sleep. He pulled the cover over her and watched her face as he waited for Carlisle to return.

Quil's head snapped up, his eye sight wavering for a moment as the door opened. "I'm sorry." Carlisle called as he stepped into the darkened room.

"No it's fine." Quil replied, rubbing his eyes slowly.

"I wanted to take enough time to be sure," Carlisle spoke low enough that only Quil's wolf senses could hear him. "She is going to be very weak. She will be able to do very little for probably more than two weeks but as much as I feel that keeping her here is a good choice I saw the fear in her eyes as she looked out the windows." Quil nodded and looked back down at Madison, "If I send her home, I have to know that she will have someone to take care of her." When Quil turned to reply Carlisle lifted his hand, "Meaning that you will be there even if Jacob tells you otherwise. She will be helpless alone, here someone can be with her at any time."

"I'm not going to leave her." Quil's tone showed how much he meant the words he was saying.

"Yes, but what happens if Jake orders you away?" Carlisle asked.

"I-" Quil started but he honestly didn't know, "I don't know."

"I can not release her without knowing that she will have someone to take care of her."

"I will take care of her," Quil knew that if he didn't change for a few days that the pull of the Alpha would fade, the wolf would gnaw to get out but he could control that.

"That is what Edward believes, so as soon as you are ready you may take her home, but please do not make me regret this." Carlisle spoke honestly, his true nature shining brightly.

Quil looked up at him, and nodded, "I won't. I don't want to regret it either."

"How will you get her home?"

"I can carry her." Quil replied.

"It's too far, and too cool for her. When you are ready Esme or myself will drive you."

"Okay, I'll be ready in about twenty minutes." Quil looked up at the doctor, "Thank you."

"Very well, you are welcome, but you owe us no thanks. You have helped us in the past." Quil nodded and watched as the doctor left the room.

"Okay, here is the covers she has been using, they will still be warm." Esme said as she tucked the quilt around Madison's still slumbering form as Quil stood beside the car. "Are you sure you don't want us to drive you the rest of the way?"

"No, she needs rest and if you cross the boundary the rest of the pack will know, it won't take long for them to figure out why."

Esme nodded and turned back to the car, "Take care of her, and yourself. If you need Carlisle for anything at all, even if you are just worried about something feel free to call."

"Thank you." Quil replied with a smile that he was shocked to realize was genuine.

"Come dear, the longer we delay the cooler she will become." Carlisle called from the car.

"I'm sorry," Esme stated and climbed back into the car, "Be careful." She called as Quil nodded back toward the car and settled Madison tightly against his chest as he jogged into the woods toward her house.


	19. Chapter 19

"I'm heading to see Madison." Jake said as he passed through the kitchen.

"When will you be back?" Billy asked as he rolled toward his son.

"A couple of hours I'll be back before midnight, I won't be staying the night."

"Good," Billy nodded once and moved back to the kitchen.

Jake shook his head as he exited the front door, he jogged across the yard and as soon as he entered the woods he pulled back and let his wolf take over. He howled as the pain lessened and took off for the Cullen's.

Jake slowed as he neared the Cullen's and began to pull his wolf back until he sniffed the air and realized that he couldn't smell Madison's scent. He growled as he pushed through the trees and cut around the side of the house to the front. He snarled as Edward stepped onto the front porch.

"_Where is she?" _He growled in his mind.

"Quil took her home two nights ago." Edward replied to Jake's thought.

"_Is she awake?" _

"Yes."

"_Why didn't anyone let me know?" _

"Quil specifically asked that if she woke to call him, you didn't. He was here when she woke, so no calls were made."

"_Fine time to follow instructions." _Jake spit out before turning on his heels cutting across the yard to the woods.

"What is it?" Madison asked, her face ashen instantly, as Quil lifted his head from hers as she read aloud.

"Nothing, rest." He patted her hand, "I'll be right back." He slid out from underneath her arm and stood from her bed.

"Quil?" He turned at her voice, "Is it Jake?" He nodded and she sighed.

"Don't lose our spot," He winked and motioned to the book in her lap, "I'll be back." He walked out of her room and made his way toward the front door. He took a deep breath and pulled open the door. He stepped onto the porch as Jake topped the stairs.

"What the fuck Quil?" Jake growled, his entire body shaking.

"What? I brought her home."

"You brought her home, after she had been in a coma for nearly a fucking month and you didn't tell me?"

"This is why I didn't tell you. She needs rest Jake, she doesn't need us yelling in front of her." Quil replied trying his hardest to keep his temper under control. It had been three days since his last change and he knew it wouldn't take much for him to change.

"I could have kept my temper a whole hell of a lot more if you had told me she was fucking awake." Jake replied sarcastically.

Quil nodded, "Yeah, I guess so."

"So what lame excuse are you going to give me for not calling me?" Jake asked his hands in fists at his side.

"No excuse, I wanted to be alone with her. So I made the choice not to call." No sense in lying about it now.

Jake blinked at the honesty of Quil answer, "She's not yours!"

Quil laughed remorselessly, "She's not yours either."

"I think I can state whose I am, and I'm neither of yours." Madison stated weakly from the door. She yelped as she stumbled as she stepped out of the doorway.

"Mad!" Quil turned, and was at her side in a moment.

He lifted her in his arms and stared down at her as she gasped for breath, "Please Quil." He nodded and stepped toward Jacob. She wrapped her arms around Quil's neck attempting to settle her self in a better position.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, "Jake, I'm not telling you not to come to my house," She opened her eyes and looked at him, "but I am asking that you leave now. When you are in a better mood you are welcome to come back. Thank you for coming, even if it wasn't to check on my well being but to yell at the pack member that has taken care of me. Good bye Jake." She turned her head and looked up at Quil, "Okay, I think I need to lie back down."

Quil nodded and turned. Jake watched helplessly as Quil carried her into the house and turned on his heel as he heard Quil kick the door shut. He flew down the stairs and felt his beast rip through him.

Quil tightened his hold on Madison as she stiffened in his arms as Jake howled, "It's okay."

"I don't know if I will ever get used to that sound again." She whispered her voice shaking with fear.

"You will, eventually your mind will realize that we aren't all bad." He grinned as he knelt on the bed and lowered her to the mattress.

"I know all of you aren't." She whispered and released her hold on him, letting one hand linger on his face. She leaned up and pressed a kiss gently against his lips, "Stay?"

"Hadn't thought of leaving." He replied with a grin before he pulled his shirt up and over his head.

"Good." She turned to her side facing him as he flipped off the bedroom light. He sighed as he settled himself on the bed pulling her tightly against his chest. "Thank you."

He pulled back and looked down at her, "For what?"

"For taking care of me, it means a lot to me." She replied looking up at him.

"Mad, I wouldn't be anywhere else." He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you." She sighed and let the drowsiness consume her.


	20. Chapter 20

Madison sighed as she pulled the door together behind her. It had been two weeks since she woke and she would be lying if she said that these two weeks had not been some of the best of her life.

Sure, she admitted to herself, it would have been better if Jake had come to the house to check on her. He had come, he never knocked on the door but she always knew he was there. Either she would see the lines tighten on Quil's face or she could feel him herself. It hurt that he didn't care enough to come inside but it meant something to her that he was there.

She shook her head and descended the stairs a smile spreading on her face, "Are you sure about this?" She asked as she stepped onto the ground and moved toward Quil's wolf form. He nodded his enormous head once. She moved to stand in front of him realizing that he had been right. She would forever be leery of unknown wolves but these wolves, the Quileute wolves, would forever be a part of who she was. She chuckled as she scratched his head between his ears and a growl rumbled in his chest. "You are sure that no one will freak out if I'm on patrol with you?"

She saw the look in his eye and grinned. He shook his head and dropped down to his haunches so she could settle herself on his back. He stood once she was settled and lifted the bag of food and his clothes that she had packed in his mouth.

"I'll take it." She said and he turned his head toward her and let her pull the strap from his teeth. She placed it over her shoulder to lay on her back and then leaned forward. She pressed her face into the nape of his neck and inhaled deeply loving the smell of ocean and pine that was Quil's scent and wrapped her arms as far around his neck as she could. "I'm ready." She felt him nod and she tightened her hold on him as he took off through the woods.

She let the motion of his body beneath her lull her as he moved through the woods. She kept her eyes closed knowing that if she opened them she wouldn't be able to see much in the inky darkness of the reservation forest anyway.

She felt him slow and could smell the ocean clearer than before and she pushed up from her resting place to find that Quil had left the woods and was crossing a small clearing heading toward a wider meadow gleaming in the full moon light. She gasped as they entered the meadow the grass shimmered like silver as an unseasonably warm breeze blew through.

"It's beautiful Quil." She whispered and he nodded turning to look over his shoulder at her. "Thank you." He shook his head dismissing her gratitude and she smiled before she dug her fingers into his thick coat and scratched his skin beneath his fur. He growled, the vibrations hitting all of the right spots in Madison's body and she gasped.

She blushed brightly as Quil growled again and inhaled deeply before turning back to look at her. He dropped to his haunches and she slid off of his back embarrassed by her body's reaction and turned her back toward him. She didn't hear him change and yelped as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "I can't stay like this but come here," He whispered against her ear before he turned her to face him.

She refused to look down at him, knowing that his clothes where in the bag that sat against her back, and met his eyes. He palmed her face and looked into her eyes before he lowered his lips to hers and pressed his body against hers. She gasped and he used to the opportunity to deepen the kiss his arms winding their way from her face to her back. He groaned as he pulled her tightly against him, her denim jeans rubbing tortuously against his semi erect cock. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck her fingers lacing into his hair. When her fingers felt the curls of Quil's hair and not Jacob's warm straight hair she pulled from the kiss.

"I'm sorry." She whispered her eyes lowering until she realized that he still naked and she spun on her heel.

He sighed and started to turn but thought better of it and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back against him, keeping his lower body from touching her, "its okay Madison." And he was shocked to realize that it was okay, he knew he had been fighting Jacob's ghost for the last few weeks. How could he forget when she called his name in her sleep almost every night? "I know I'm not Jake, I won't ever be Jake and I can't and don't expect you to forget about him." She made a strangled noise and turned to face him. He smiled down at her, "Madison," he took her face in his hands again and ran his thumb across her bottom lip, "You love him and while I know that you care about me," She nodded her head in agreement, "I know that he's already in here," He moved his hand from her face to her chest where her heart raced against her ribs.

She placed her hands against his and held his hand against her heart, "I'm sorry."

He moved his other hand to her chin and tilted her head up to his, "Don't apologize. I never said that I would stop trying to push him out. I want to be there instead." She smiled and he lowered his lips to hers once more, kissing her deeply but quickly.

He released her and took two steps away from her then turned his back from her and she watched in awe as he changed it didn't matter how many times she saw it, it still shocked her.

He went to his haunches again looking at her as she paused before climbing onto his back. "Will we come back to the meadow?" She asked as she leaned forward again and he nodded. "Good, I like it here."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as far as she could and held on tightly as he made his necessary route through the woods and along the reservation border.

Finally after what seemed to be hours, Quil moved through the woods and back into the meadow. She sighed as she took in the beauty of the location. "This isn't an old meadow is it?" She asked as she slid from his back. He shook his head. She stared at him as they walked side by side toward the middle of the meadow.

She stopped as he stopped he sat down slowly and settled himself onto his side, his massive front and back paws forming a U on the ground. She smiled down at him at he stared up at her and she pulled her bag off her shoulder and pulled the thin blanket from the bag and spread it out between his front legs and back.

She sat down on the blanket her back away from him and he growled. "What?" She asked smiling at him.

He motioned with his head toward his side.

"What?" She really didn't understand what he was trying to say.

He growled again and she laughed as he leaned forward and took the hood of her jacket in his teeth and drug her gently to his side.

"You could have just said something." She said with a smirk. He shook his head and rolled his eyes pulling another laugh from her mouth. He nudged her bag and she pulled it toward her and pulled out their latest book.

He loved to hear her voice as she read aloud, and since when she read silently he could still hear her as she whispered the words it saved them both time.

She smiled as she opened the book to their current place and leaned back into his side letting his soft fur wrap around her and she sighed.

He rested his head on his paws, his eyes closing as he listened to her melodic voice as she read.

Her voice drifted off some time later. He looked down at her to see her sleeping peacefully against his side. He was loathed to wake her but as he looked up at the moon he realized they had been there for quite a few hours, and knew they needed to head back to her house before the morning fog rolled in along with the coldness.

He nuzzled her neck and she slowly woke, blinking in the darkness, "Quil?" He grunted and she stretched, "I'm sorry. I think I fell asleep." He nodded and nudged her bag, "Oh, okay." She stood and placed the book in her bag along with the wrappers of food she had unwrapped earlier in the night and placed the blanket on top. She pulled it over her shoulder and when he settled on his haunches climbed onto his back. "I'm ready." She whispered with a yawn. He nodded and started the journey back to her house.

He felt her body relax behind him and he slowed his pace, attempting to not wake her.

It was as if she could read his mind, he thought later, she sat up as he exited the woods and saw Jake sitting on her bottom porch step.


	21. Chapter 21

Jake stood as he saw them and moved toward them.

Quil dropped and let Madison slide from his back before stepping between the two of them.

"Stop the hero act Quil. You know I'm not going to hurt her." Jake said quietly.

Quil snorted but didn't move.

"It's okay Quil." Madison said as she scratched his side before stepping around the honey brown wolf. "What do you want Jake?" She asked as she stopped by Quil's head.

"I came to see you." He replied and Madison cocked an eyebrow, "And to pass a message on to Quil from his Grandfather."

Madison heard Quil's breathing change and she asked the question she knew Quil was thinking, "What is the message?"

"Old Quil wants him to come home. He hasn't been home in almost a week." Quil snorted and nuzzled Madison's shoulder. "Go home Quil." Quil growled as Jake used the Alpha voice and he pulled his wolf back into his body.

"You asshole." Quil stated as soon as he could. He realized now that this was Jake's whole plan by restarting patrols. If Quil was forced to change he would be unable to resist following the Alpha's orders.

Jake smiled and shrugged, "I'm just passing along messages. Don't shoot the messenger."

Madison looked up at Quil as he shook beside her, "Quil?"

He turned to her then and took her face in his hands, "I'm sorry, I have to go but I will be back."

"But-" She started but stopped as her bottom lip quivered. She hadn't been alone since she woke and now she would be forced to sleep alone?

"I'm staying here." Jake interjected smoothly.

"Like hell you are." Quil replied looking at him, never taking his hands off Madison's face.

"I'm staying." Again Quil growled, his grip tightening on Madison's face as he heard the Alpha voice.

"I'm so sorry." Quil whispered then turned his eyes back to Madison.

She pressed her hands against his and pleaded with her eyes. "I want you here."

"I'm sorry baby," He pressed his lips against hers roughly and wrapped his arms around her pulling her tightly against his chest. "I can't stay." He pressed his lips against the top of her head as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist her nails biting into his bare skin as she shook in his arms. "You will be okay baby. I promise you will be fine."

"Please Quil, don't go. I'm scared." She whispered unable to keep her tears at bay.

"Madison, baby." He pulled from her after shooting Jacob a look of pure hatred and palmed her cheeks, "I swear to you, nothing will hurt you. You are safe."

"But-" She started but stopped as he shook his head.

He pulled her tightly against him again and when he pressed his lips to her ear he whispered, "The shirt you like so much is in your top dresser drawer. Sleep in it, and it will be like I am there. I love you Madi." He lowered his head and pressed his lips to her neck and released her.

Madison watched helplessly as Quil turned from her and shifted back into his wolf form as tears rolled down her face. She heard Jake moving when Quil's form vanished from her sight and she slowly turned toward him. "You fucking asshole." She stormed past him and climbed the stairs to her house. She hurried to the front door, unlocking it and pushing it open making sure to shut it with enough force that it slammed. She moved through her house, her mind spinning with her anger her heart racing with fear.

She wouldn't admit that she was excited that Jake was outside her house. She simply refused to admit that to herself.

She spun on her heel as she heard her front door open. "What the fucking hell?" She asked as Jake turned and pushed the door closed gently behind him.

"We had a key made while you were sick, so we could come and check to make sure everything was okay."

"How dare you. I don't want you in my house!" She shouted, the lie bitter on her tongue.

"Oh well, get over it." He replied without a smile.

Surely she hadn't heard him right. "What?"

"I'm not leaving you alone, and without me you will be alone."

"You could have left Quil alone, and then he would be here with me." She replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, I could have but I didn't."

"Why?" She asked, "Do you get a thrill out of torturing me? Is this some sick game for you? Because if it is, I don't want to play this anymore. I've been hurt enough."

"I wanted my time alone with you." Jake replied quietly when she turned her back to him.

She turned back to him, wiping the tears from her eyes so she could see him clearly. "What?"

"Quil brought you home without telling anyone because he wanted time alone with you. Now I want my time with you." She stared at him dumbfounded as he moved across the room to her. She looked up at him, unable to form words as he ran his finger tips along the line of her jaw. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you." She blinked as he lowered his head toward hers and she pushed away from him.

"You think that cures everything? That one 'I'm sorry' will make it all okay? Well I'm sorry I'm not that fucking shallow." She spun on her heel and moved to the linen closet in the hallway. She pulled out a sheet, comforter and pillow before returning to the living room. "I'll admit that I don't want to be alone, but you will sleep on the couch." She dropped the linens on the couch and walked away, leaving Jake to stare at her back.


	22. Chapter 22

Jake sighed as he sat down on the edge of the couch. That hadn't gone exactly the way he had planned. Sure he knew she wouldn't welcome him back with open arms, just like she had said, she wasn't that shallow. But all the same, he hadn't expected the anger or what he assumed was hatred for him that he saw flashing in her eyes.

Was he too late?

Had she fallen in love with Quil?

He sighed ran his hand down his face and leaned his head back to the couch cushion behind him.

He listened as she readied herself for bed. The water turning on as she brushed her teeth. The sound of her dresser drawers opening and closing.

The rustle of her clothes brought him back to what Quil had told her before he left.

Was she pulling on Quil's shirt?

Had she ever slept in one of his shirts?

Had she ever needed to feel that close to him when he wasn't there?

Jake knew the answer to that question. He had never let her get that close to him. He always pushed her way, always wanting to keep himself open should Bella ever come calling and look where that got him. She was marrying the leech and here he was sitting on Madison's couch trying to repair the life that he had so completely fucked up.

He heard her as she pulled back the covers and after a few minutes he heard her still and assumed she had drifted off to sleep until he heard her whispered, tear stained voice, "Good night Quil."

Jake sat up on the couch, unaware that he had even fallen asleep confused as to what had wakened him. He sat in the darkness of Madison's house and his senses perked up attempting to find the culprit.

He was off the couch and sprinting toward Madison's room the instant he heard her whimpered cry.

He pushed open her door quietly and took in her form. She was on her back the covers down below her knees as if she had been kicking her legs in her sleep her head shook side to side. She whimpered again and he was at her side reaching for her when she spoke, "Please." She inhaled a shaky breath, "Jake, please." He gasped he heard her voice, his hand dropping to his side.

He knelt onto the bed slowly before laying down behind her. "Madison." He whispered as he slid his arm behind her head and pulled her toward him. He felt her tense in his arms, "It's okay. I'm here."

"Jake?" He wasn't sure she was truly awake.

"I'm here baby." He whispered and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Don't let him hurt me." She mumbled as she pressed her cheek against his chest.

"I won't baby. He won't ever hurt you again." He whispered as he tightened his arms around her, vowing that he would keep that promise.

He inhaled deeply and with a sour realization that he now had an answer to one of his questions.

She was sleeping in Quil's shirt.

Madison blinked into the sunlight streaming through the window above her and she groaned then stretched.

"Good morning." Jake's honeyed voice called to her from the door and she slowly rolled over to look at him.

She stared at him for a moment, attempting to still her racing heart as she took in his jean clad body, "Morning." She hoped it sounded grouchy and not breathy. But she feared it was more of the latter when he smiled and pushed from the door.

"Breakfast is served." He called over his shoulder as he walked back into the kitchen.

She sighed, her growling stomach pulling her from the bed. She pushed Quil's shirt down her thighs and smiled as she pulled the collar up to her nose inhaling his scent. She might not be in love with Quil, but she did love him and she sighed as she realized just how much she missed him.

Jake looked up as she entered the kitchen her bare feet silent on the tile. She moved to a bar stool and climbed onto the seat. She stared at him, a contemplative look on her face. "What?" He asked when she continued to stare at him after he sat her plate before her on the bar.

"Why are you being like this?" She asked before she looked down at the omelet he had prepared for her. "It's not like you love me, so why are you pretending to care? Is it so much of a blow to your ego that I might actually like your friend over you? Or are you just that much of a jerk?"

He stared at her dumbfounded for a moment. "What do you mean being like this? Why are you so sure that I don't love you? I'm not that much of a jerk, and if you truly cared for Quil I'd walk away."

She cut into her omelet and considered him as she ate that first bite, "What I mean is why are you here, in my house pretending to give a damn about me when we both know that you are in love with the soon to be Mrs. Edward Cullen? I know you don't love me because you wouldn't have done what you did to me if you did. And I don't believe that you would walk away." She spoke without taking her eyes from him and her gaze was disquieting to him.

He sat his plate down on the counter beside him and lifted his orange juice to his lips taking a sip before he replied, "I think you don't know me all that well."

She stared at him waiting for him to finish his statement but when he didn't say anything else she dropped her fork to her plate and pushed from her chair. "And whose fault is that?" She asked as she walked out of the room, never looking back.

"Mine." He replied quietly when Madison pushed her bedroom door closed.


	23. Chapter 23

Jake looked up as Madison stepped out of her bedroom. Just as he opened his mouth to apologize for earlier she spoke, "I'm going to see Quil." She moved through the kitchen without stopping.

"Wait!" Jake called as she neared the front door.

"No, Jacob." He paused for a second, Madison never called him Jacob. "I'll be back later. I don't know and don't care if you are here when I get back."

He joined her at the door and she tensed as he turned her to face him, "I'm sorry, Madison."

She looked up at him, her unwavering gaze seeming to bore deep into his soul, "For what?"

"For everything." He replied never dropping his gaze.

She shook her head, "That's too easy. When you can tell me for what you are apologizing for I will listen until then, don't waste my time." She tried to pull her arm free of his hand but he only tightened his grip.

"For all the times that I used you knowing that you cared for me when I knew that I loved Bella, for calling her name when my mind should have been only on you, your body and your pleasure.

"For not being man enough to take you home that day, for forcing you to accept the help of a near stranger because I wasn't man enough to face the pain in your eyes, for leaving you alone afterwards when I knew I had caused the pain that Quil was so desperately attempting to heal.

"For not being here when the wolf came, for not protecting you like I should have when he attacked you, for not being there when you woke."

He paused for a second and palmed her cheeks, his thumbs drying the two tears that slowly made their way down her skin, "For not telling you each and every day that I'm sorry and that I do love you."

Madison stared up at him, a gasp trapped somewhere in her throat burning to get out. She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled from his touch, "Thank you." She whispered and pulled open the door, stepping out into the cool morning air.

"Madison-" Jake stopped as she held up her hand.

"Please, just let me go. I'll be back." He watched as she wrapped her arms around her stomach while she crossed the porch. He listened as she descended the stairs and started her car.

He sighed when she pulled out of her driveway. Why did everything he did that involved her always blow up in his face? He growled loudly and slammed the front door.

He paced across the living room, fighting the urge to call Quil's house and order him to leave. He snorted, Madison would kill him and he was trying to repair the damage he had done. He forced himself to walk away from the phone, out of Madison's house.

Quil sighed as he flipped through the TV channels again. Nothing caught his attention and he was chomping at the bit for time to pass quickly. Jake's orders had faded slowly, but the fact they were fading was important and he was awaiting the moment when he could leave his house and return to Madison's. He missed her more than he could vocalize.

His mind was so wrapped up in his pity party that he dismissed the sound of car tires on his driveway as someone just turning around. But as they continued, growing louder he couldn't ignore it and he stood from the couch and moved to the picture window that overlooked the front yard and drive way. "Fuck!" He shouted as Madison's car came to a stop behind his truck.

Madison worried her bottom lip as she pulled to a stop behind Quil's truck. God she hoped he was at home. She didn't want to go back home right now. Her mind swam for a moment as she remembered Jake's confession and wondered just how much of it he meant. She found it hard to believe that he honestly meant the last of it, but she shook her head and forced her mind to the present as Quil pulled open his front door and flew down the stairs. She scrambled to unbuckle her seat belt and get out of the car as he neared her.

"Mad!" Quil exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her from the ground as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "God, I'm so proud you are here." He whispered as he buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent, drowning in her.

"I am too." She replied, her voice breaking as her tears returned.

"Baby." Quil whispered as he rocked her back and forth. He lowered his hand and pulled her closer letting her pull her legs around his waist. "It's okay." He soothed her moving his hands up and down her back, hoping his warmth would take the chill that seemed to crawl from her back.

He didn't know how long they stood there but by the time he carried her into his house she was shivering. "Come here." He let her slide to the floor before he sat down in the easy chair beside the fireplace and pulled her into his lap. He pulled her legs across his legs letting her feet hang over the side and she sighed as the fire and his warmth washed over her. He followed with his own sigh as he wrapped his arms tightly around her body and rested his head on top of hers.

They sat there for endless moments, her quiet sniffles, the crackling of the fire and the grandfather clock's ticking the only sound in the room.

"Are you okay?" He finally asked, breaking that peaceful silence.

"I don't know." She replied honestly, her fingers playing with the buttons on his blue button down shirt he wore over a gray t shirt.

"What do you mean you don't know?" He asked pulling back to look down at her.

"I had a nightmare last night." She started, "Jake was a dick this morning, then he apologized and I miss you and I'm scared I'm hurting you." She inhaled a shaky breath.

"Well baby," He started, wondering what Jake had apologized for but forced himself to reply to her other statements before asking, "Cullen said you would have nightmares, you had a horrible thing happen to you. It's just part of healing."

"I know," She replied with a dainty sniffle, "It's just-" she released a tiny bark of humorless laughter, "you weren't there."

"I know baby and I'm sorry." he whispered against her hair and hugged her tightly. "You know I'd be there in a moment if I could."

"I know, at least I think I do."

He looked down at her face, "You think you do?"

She nodded and looked up at him through her lashes, "He used the Alpha voice on you didn't he?" Quil licked his lips and nodded. "So you didn't leave because you want to, but because you had to?" Her eyes narrowed softly as she asked as if she was scared of his reply.

"Madison, I wouldn't have left you for anything in this world if he hadn't forced me too. If I hadn't shifted, I could have fought it but the closer he uses the voice to us being a wolf the stronger the pull it has."

"And he used it while you were a wolf," Again he nodded, "So there was no way you could deny it?"

"If I had, my body would have still followed his orders. I'd be holding on to you with my legs walking away." She giggled at the image his words painted, "I would never leave you when you needed me, you should know that."

"I did, at least I think I did I just needed to hear you say it, I think."

"Please," He started moving on to the next subject of her statement earlier, "don't worry about me. I know where I stand with you and I still choose to be here with you." He ran the back of his fingertips down her cheek as she looked up at him, "I love you and I want to be here but I'm not asking you to love me, if you did then I'd be happy but I'm happy just knowing that you need me."

"I do. I mean I do need you too but I do love you, I'm just-"

"You're **in** love with Jake." She sighed and nodded looking up at him slowly. "I know that, and that's why I'm okay with it because I know. I won't ever stop trying to make you love me, but I know you love him and I know how you love. You don't love just for the hell of it, when you love someone you give it all to that person and that's the beauty of it. I won't stop trying to earn that from you, but I know I have a lot of work to do and I might never succeed but at least I know I tried."

Madison smiled up at him, "I like it when you try."

He chuckled and pressed his lips to hers in a soft, chaste kiss, "I know you do, that's part of the reason why I do it. What did Jake apologize for?"

She sighed and turned her gaze to the fire in front of her, "Everything."

"What do you mean everything?" He asked, fighting to keep his hold on her loose.

"He named off everything that he had done wrong in the last few months." She replied never taking her eyes from the fire.

"The day he sent me to you?" She nodded.

"And everything since then." He could tell there was more so he pressed her for it.

"What else did he say?"

She cut her eyes toward him and sighed, "He said that he was sorry for not telling me everyday that he was sorry and that he did love me."

Quil fought to keep his face neutral as she looked up at him, "What did you say to him?"

She snorted softly, "Thank you then I left. I didn't know what to say, to do."

"You didn't believe him?"

"About the apology?" He shook his head, "Oh, I wanted to believe that he meant it but I don't know."

He nodded and hugged her to his chest again. "It's okay."

The sky was painted in the rainbow of colors of sunset as Quil walked Madison toward her car. She leaned against the driver's side door and looked up at him.

"Thank you for today." She said softly.

He pressed his hands to the top of her car, boxing her in with his body and smiled down at her, "You are welcome, but I haven't done anything."

She nodded and chuckled as he shook his head, "You made me forget about the nightmare that is my life."

"Anything with you in it is a dream, never a nightmare." He whispered and lowered his head toward her. She looked into his eyes and after a brief hesitation she pushed to her toes meeting him halfway. He sighed as her lips met his and his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her toward him. She let him deepen the kiss but as his tongue touched hers she tensed in his arms. He released his hold on her and pressed his lips against hers, rubbing his back and forth over her much softer ones.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as he stilled, his forehead pressed against hers.

He shook his head, his eyes still closed, "Never apologize for letting me kiss you." He whispered his fingers dancing up and down her arms.

"Okay." She replied her breath on his lips stronger than her voice.

He pulled from her, only to wrap his arms around her one more time. He lowered his head to her neck as he hugged her tightly and inhaled her scent, hoping it would be enough to keep his tears at bay tonight. "Okay," he released her and pulled open her car door, "I want you home before it gets dark. Call me when you get home okay?" She nodded and climbed into her car. "There is a counsel meeting Thursday, make Jake bring you with him."

"Okay." She said and rolled her window down as he pushed her door together.

He bent into her car and pressed his lips against her temple, "I love you."

She looked into his eyes and nodded unable to say it back to him because she knew that she didn't love him the way he loved her.

He watched as she pulled out of his driveway and turned onto the main road before he turned, climbed the stairs and entered the house waiting for her call.


	24. Chapter 24

"What do you mean you aren't taking me?" Madison demanded as Jake left the kitchen. She growled and followed him into the living room.

"Just what I said, I'm not taking you to the counsel meeting. It's going to be too cold for you to stay there all night."

"But-" Jake shook his head and Madison paused but continued her hands clenched at her sides, "I'm the Secretary of the Lore, you can't keep me from going."

"Yes I can." Jake had sat down on the couch, _her_ couch like he belonged there.

"I'm not one of your wolves, you can't use your Alpha voice on me and expect me to pee myself in fear of you." Madison spat out, "I'm going if I have to drive myself." She turned on her heel and left the living room.

She _hated_ him being here everyday. Yes, she would be lying if she said she didn't love him but that didn't mean that she liked him trying to control every aspect of her life. At least Quil had listened to her if she wanted to do something and gave her a valid reason as to why she couldn't or why he didn't want her to do something. Jake just demanded that it would be his way.

She growled, if she didn't love him so much, with very little help she could hate him.

"Stop growling, you said yourself you aren't a wolf."

"Shut the fuck up Jacob Black!" Madison yelled as she stormed into her bedroom, slamming her door behind her.

Madison sighed Thursday morning as she sat on her front porch beside the fireplace and watched as a small flock of wild geese landed at her lake. She smiled as she listened to their noisy calls and because of it nearly missed the sound of the phone ringing. She pushed from her seat and moved into the house ignoring Jake as she picked up the phone right inside the door.

"Hello." She stated not bothering to look at the caller id.

"Madison?" A man's voice, crackly with old age called.

"Yes," She was almost certain it was Old Quil, but why would he be calling her?

"My grandson said that he believed you were well enough to return to your lore keeper duties?"

A smile spread on her face. "Why Yes, Old Quil I do believe I am well enough to return to my duties as lore keeper." As she spoke she turned to face Jake and smirked as his jaw tightened. "Would you like me to start tonight?"

"Well yes that is what I was calling about." He replied clearing his throat.

"I would love to. By any chance would Quil be there with you now?" She asked, the smile never leaving her face as she turned her back to Jake.

"Yes, I believe he said you would want to talk to him."

"Yes I would like that very much." She replied softly, grateful Quil had been so astute to come up with this.

"Okay, here he is. See you tonight." With her whispered reply she heard the phone changing hands and her smile widened further as she heard Quil's voice.

"Hey baby."

"You are a genius." She stated as she stepped out onto the front porch.

"Yes, this I know." She chuckled, "I figured he would say no to you coming just to visit."

"That's an understatement." She sat back down by the fireplace pulling the throw tightly around her shoulders. "He seems to think he owns me."

"Well he doesn't, and he can't keep you under lock and key like this forever." Quil's voice was laced with anger so strongly Madison shivered.

"I know." She softened her voice in an attempt to sooth his anger, "I miss you."

He sighed heavily and she could tell he was calmer as he spoke, "Me too, so much. But you will be stuck with me all night, so you will get your Quil fix."

She laughed, "What do you mean stuck with you all night?"

He laughed heartily, "Well with your condition, you are unable to keep your body heat so you have to be protected from the wind."

"Okay?" She had _no_ idea what he was talking about she had no such disability.

"So I volunteered to protect you from the wind and keep you warm."

She laughed nervously, "What does that mean exactly?"

"Not much actually," He replied a thoughtful tone to his voice that made her laugh, "You will be sitting in my lap all night."

"Oh, why didn't you just say that?" She asked.

"Cause I'm Quil?"

"Well that explains **a lot**." She shot back a smirk on her face.

"Oh, you little minx, I'll remember that when you start to freeze to death as you sit on the cold wet ground."

"You would never let me sit on the cold wet ground." She replied sure in her response.

"Yeah, but it was a good threat." She disagreed but let him have it anyway. "Okay, I will see you tonight around 8?"

"Okay, where do you want me to meet you?" She asked.

"I'll drive you." Jake responded from the door. She gasped and jerked in her chair. She hadn't heard him open the door and his sudden voice frightened her.

"Okay." Madison replied looking up at Jake's anger darkened face.

"Apparently at the Harry's." Quil replied after hearing Jake's voice.

"Okay." Madison replied and slowly turned her attention from Jake back to Quil.

Jake hadn't said another word to her after she had spoken to Quil. She wanted to say that she didn't care but she did and it cut her for him to ignore her so completely.

She shook her head at her convoluted thoughts. One minute she was mad at him for being too involved in her life, the next she was pissed because he was ignoring her? She had wondered more than once as they drove to Sue's house if the wolf had done more damage to her mentally then they had all assumed.

Quil paced Harry's gravel lined driveway as he waited for Jake to arrive. He had waited patiently through Sam and Emily's arrival as well as Embry and Jared's. He was about to pull his hair out, it was five till 8 and he just knew that Jake had called and announced that he wouldn't be attending the meeting.

His head snapped up as he heard a car turn onto the Clearwater's drive way but let a strangled sigh as Paul's truck came into view.

"He's right behind me." Paul called as he pushed open his door.

Quil's face broke into a smile as he saw another, and last, set of headlights shine through the trees.

"You have got it bad." Paul stated as he walked past Quil into Sue's house.

"Tell me about it." Quil retorted, his eyes never leaving the light shining through the trees.

Madison had the passenger door open before Jake pulled to a full stop as she saw Quil.

"Mad!" Quil crossed the yard in three strides and wrapped his arms around her pulling her tightly against him. He lowered his head to her neck and inhaled her scent deeply, she giggled as he did it and he kissed the skin softly. "God I missed you."

"I missed you too, thank you so much." She whispered burying her face in his shoulder.

"You owe me no thanks." He replied and looked over her shoulder at Jake who still sat in the truck staring at their display. "Okay they are waiting on us." Quil stated and turned from Jake never releasing Madison. He slid his hand beneath her legs and lifted her in his arms.

"I can walk." She replied smiling up at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, settling herself against his chest.

He smiled at her and nodded, "I'm sure you can but the ground is soggy." He stated and she looked down at the ground as his feet squished loudly as he walked.

She looked at the group gathered around a roaring bonfire as Quil rounded the Clearwater's house and she felt her heart race. Quil looked down at her, hearing the change and lifted one smoky brow. "What will they think if I'm sitting in your lap and well you know my history with Jake?"

"Baby," He stopped and splayed his hands against her back, hugging her to his body the best he could, "They have all seen my thoughts and they know that I love you and they do know your history with Jake, but they understand how things are."

His eyes drifted shut as she unknowingly ran her fingers through the curls at the back of his neck, "If you are sure. What about Sue and the Elders?"

"They think that I'm protecting you from the elements."

"Yeah right." She replied with a dainty snort. "Maybe if they were all dullards."

"Good point, they might have questions but they won't say anything." She nodded and smiled up at him as he continued walking toward the fire.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Madison looked over her shoulder as they neared the fire and smiled as Sue stood and met Quil as he stepped over one of the huge logs circling the fire.

"Madison, it is so wonderful to see you." She stated and wrapped her arms around her shoulders as Quil set her feet onto the ground.

"It's wonderful to be back!" Madison replied honestly as she returned the older woman's hug. Sue had been something like a mother to her after her parent's death years earlier and it hurt her deeply that they had seemed to lose that connection in the last few years.

"Come, we have you and Quil a spot near Billy," Sue shot a look up at Quil and Madison blushed, "And I have you a blanket in case you get chilled."

"Sue you didn't have to do that." Madison said as she saw the quilt laying across the log beside Billy.

"I know, but I did." She replied with a grin as she moved to sit on the other side of Billy.

"Come here, babe." Quil whispered, taking her hand in his and leading her to their seat. He pulled the quilt off the log and sat down pulling Madison into his lap. She watched helplessly as he opened the blanket and spread it across her legs and pulled it up to her chin before sliding it between their bodies. She sighed as he slipped his hands beneath the blanket and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hand splaying widely against her stomach. She snuggled back into his chest, her head resting against his shoulder and he marveled at how small she felt in his arms. He lowered his chin to her shoulder and grinned as she cut her eyes toward him.

The both looked up as Jake crossed the logs and sat down heavily beside Embry directly across the fire from them. Madison refused to meet Jake's eyes but looked up at Quil's profile as he stared at his pack leader across the fire.

She pushed her elbow into his stomach and he lowered his head toward her, his eyes never lowering. "Quil." She whispered and he broke the contact and looked down at her. "Don't."

"I'm not doing anything." He replied before he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"He's just being ill tempered." She whispered back, knowing that all the wolves could hear her and she heard Jake's snort across from her. She bit her tongue to keep her biting remark to herself but Quil grinned down at her. She couldn't help but return it and she shook her head.

Billy cleared his throat and began a tale, one that she had written before so she closed her eyes and let Billy's words paint a picture of her people and let herself get carried into the story.

"The tighter you hold on to something the harder it attempts to fly." Sam whispered to Jake hours later. Jake blinked tearing his eyes from Madison's form as she leaned against Quil's chest.

"What?" He whispered back, hoping his father didn't hear his voice.

"The tighter you hold on to someone, the harder they will attempt to shake that hold." Sam sighed as Jake just looked at him, "The more you try to control Madison, the harder she will be push away from you. If you let her go and she comes back to you, then you know she loves you."

"I know she loves me." He whispered harshly.

Sam looked across the fire at Quil as Madison yawned delicately and Quil turned her in his arms so her side rested against him and held her as her eyes drifted shut, "That may be true, but because of your actions she is turning to Quil. Let her fly and if she comes back to you, she was yours to begin with."

Jake looked back across the fire, watching as his best friend stared down at Madison as she dozed off to sleep in his arms. He felt his heart ache knowing what Sam had said was true. He could feel her pulling further and further away from him. He knew that if he hadn't been so harsh with her that it could have been him holding her tonight and he was shocked to realize how much he wanted to be in Quil's shoes.

"Take her home." Quil looked up at Jake as he came to a stop behind him when the counsel meeting ended.

"What?" He asked, knowing that he hadn't heard him right.

"Take her home, stay with her if you want to. I'll come over tomorrow." Jake replied sliding his hands into his jeans pockets.

Quil's brows pulled together, "What- I mean why?" His and Jake's relationship was for a lack of a better word, strained but he knew how Jake thought, how he worked and he knew that Jake would never just walk away from something he wanted or cared for.

"She wants to be around you," He shrugged "and it's not right for me to keep her from you. It's clear you care for her," He swallowed the bitter taste his words left on his tongue and continued, "Don't think for one second that I don't care for her because I do. And don't think that I won't be trying to win her forgiveness, but I'm willing to share my time with her, if you are."

Quil wasn't about to admit that he already knew that he had shared his time with Jake, as Madison loved Jake but he nodded, "I am, what time will you come over tomorrow?"

Jake's brows pulled together, "I don't know, why?"

"She usually goes to the grocery store on Friday and I'd like to take her to Forks so she can get the things that she needs that she can't get on the reservation."

The fact that Quil knew this about Madison cut through Jake's tough exterior and he looked down at her as she slept peacefully against Quil's chest. He sighed and turned his gaze to the fire, "What time do you think you will be back from Forks?"

"Probably afternoon, say 5?"

"I'll be there at 7." Jake replied turning back to Quil.

"Okay, see you then." Quil turned toward Sue then, "Sue, can I bring your quilt back tomorrow?"

"Wha-? Oh gosh yes! Don't you dare expose her to this cool air while she's sleeping." She whispered as she neared Quil. "Can you manage to get to your truck?"

Quil smiled slowly, "It's not the first time I've carried her. I'll manage just fine. Thank you."

She smiled softly and looked down at the girl who reminded her so much of her own and brushed her hair off the side of her face, "Take care of her."

"Always." Quil replied before slipping his arm under her legs and lifting her gently against his chest. She mumbled and turned her face into his chest.

Jake looked over his shoulder at Sam as he placed his hand on Jake's shoulder. "You did what was right." He said softly.

"Then why I do I want to go and pull her from his arms and take her home myself?" Jake asked quietly his body tight with tension.

Sam laughed softly and squeezed his shoulder, "Well that's obvious Jake." Jake looked up at Sam, insulted by his laughter, "It's because you love her."

Jake stared at Sam's back as he walked away with Emily. Could be honestly be falling out of love with Bella and into love with Madison?


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Quil grinned as he walked toward his truck and found his driver's side door standing open. He looked around the semi circle of cars and trucks to see Paul walking toward his truck. Paul looked over his shoulder and he threw up his hand as he pulled open his own truck door and climbed in. Quil nodded as Paul's headlights shined across the driveway. Quil stepped onto his truck's running boards and let Madison slide from his arms to the leather seat. She stirred, her eyes blinked in the inky darkness of the cab.

"It's okay." Quil whispered as he settled behind the wheel.

"Quil?" She whispered, rubbing her eyes in the most adorable way as she looked up at him. He smiled and couldn't resist pressing his lips against hers.

"Yeah baby, you ready to go home?"

She sat up a little straighter, "What? Home?"

"Jake told me to take you home, said that I could stay with you." He grinned down at her as she gasped.

"Oh," She whispered and pressed herself against his side. He sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, tightening his hold on her as he started his truck and pulled out of the driveway.

The drive to Madison's was quiet as she fell asleep shortly after he pulled out onto the road.

"Baby?" Quil called as he pulled to a stop beside Madison's truck in her driveway. He knew he would wake her as he pulled her from the truck and he was loathed to scare her.

She blinked up at him and smiled as he climbed from the truck. He held out his hands to her as she slid across the seat, her eyes heavy from sleep as she pulled the cover back over her shoulder. She sighed as he carried her silently up the stairs slipping the keys that she handed him into the lock.

Meanwhile, just inside the line of trees that surrounded Madison's lake a large red wolf sat staring at Quil and Madison as he carried her into the house; his interest peeked by the wolf's show of adoration for the woman he knew he hadn't mated with.

The red wolf pulled his beast back into body and strode through the woods uncaring for his nudity and made his way back to the boundary line his mind on all he had heard and seen tonight.

"Where is she?" A tall pale man asked as he stepped across the boundary line.

The wolf sighed, his mind aching with all the information shooting through his head, "I told you I can't get to her, Amos." He whispered softly dreading his brother's wrath.

"And why the fuck can't you Thomas?" Thomas yelped as Amos fisted his hand in his waist length red hair tilting his head back to a painful angle. "It's your fault Abigail's there now."

He whimpered as Amos' darkened to a deeper shade of red, "I know and I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore, you said there wouldn't be a problem. But not only didn't you get me a mate," Thomas struggled against Amos' hold as the vampire lowered his head toward his throat fearing the sickness that would result from even a touch of his venom, "or a meal you left her behind."

"I didn't know-" Thomas started but yelped as Amos jerked his head back and pressed his teeth against his neck.

"Shut your sniveling whimpering before I beat you like the dog you are." Amos spat out shoving Thomas to the ground then kicking him in the stomach before storming off into the darkened woods.

Thomas pulled himself into a ball and bit back the tears that seemed an almost constant since Amos had been turned so many years earlier.

Quil woke slowly, refusing to open his eyes knowing that the warmth of Madison's back pressed against him wasn't a dream. He kept his eyes closed and processed each sensation. He felt her fingers laced into his as she lay with her head on his bicep, his top leg was laying on her bottom leg and he could feel the coolness of her ebony hair laying on his chest.

"Madison." He whispered into the back of her neck as he pulled her tightly against his chest.

"Not awake yet." She mumbled and snuggled tighter into him and he grinned.

"Okay, but we are going to Forks so just a little while longer."

"2 hours." She mumbled again and he couldn't contain the bubble of laughter knowing how much she hated mornings.

"Okay, two more hours." He stated and rolled onto his back.

She turned and rested her head on his chest before wrapping her arm over his chest, "Now shush and go back to sleep." She commanded and pressed her lips against the side of his chest.

"Gladly."

Jake rolled onto his back and stared at the designs the sunlight painted on his ceiling. He hadn't slept in his own bed in over a week and it was an odd feeling to wake there. He sighed pushed to a sitting position and ran his fingers through his hair as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Jacob?" Billy called through the door.

"Yeah?" Jake replied never lifting his head as he heard the door swing open.

"I didn't know if you had left already." Billy asked staring at his son, worry darkening his eyes.

"No." He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees, "I'm going back to Mad's later today."

"Oh." Billy said with a nod. His tone was so odd that Jake looked up at him, "Can I ask you a question?" Jake nodded, instantly dreading the question, "Did you send her home with Quil for his sake or yours?"

Jake smiled slowly, "Mine."

Billy grinned, "I knew you would wise up eventually." He stated and started to back out of the doorway.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jake asked a laugh in his voice.

"Nothing more that I know you are smart enough to realize that if you hold her too tightly she will struggle to get away."

Jake nodded and sighed, "I wish I could say I realized it on my own."

"Sam?"

"Sam." Jake said with a nod.

Billy nodded himself then turned in the hallway, "Come, I've got breakfast almost done."

Jake sighed and pushed to his feet following behind his father.

Quil grinned across his truck's cab as he looked at Madison. "Come 'ere." He whispered as he pulled her across the seat to his side. "Did you have fun today?"

"You know I did." She smiled up at him. "Thank you for that."

"What? I had to eat too." He replied keeping his eyes on the road.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to take me to the most expensive Italian place in Forks."

"Maybe I wanted expensive Italian food."

Madison snorted daintily, "Yeah right."

"Okay, you win. Maybe it was my way of taking you out on a date without you knowing."

"Well maybe it worked." She replied and leaned her head against his chest. She smiled as he pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

"Give me something to carry Quil!" Madison complained as Quil lifted her groceries from the back of the truck.

He grinned down at her at and handed her a loaf of bread, "There you go."

"You-" Madison rolled her eyes realizing that it was a waste of time to argue with him and climbed the stairs, opening the door for him to a moment later.

Madison followed behind him as he carried the bags to the kitchen placing them on the counter. She pushed him playfully out of the way and started pulling the items from the bags. She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from the floor. "Quil! I have to get these put up."

"Yeah and they will be okay for five minutes more." He looked at the clock. He had 30 more minutes with her and he was determined to spend it with her not staring at her as she put the groceries up. He carried her to the living room and fell back onto the couch pulling her with him.

He spun her in his lap and she looked up at him as she rested against his arm that wound around her back, "Jake's coming soon, isn't he?"

Quil looked down at her, wondering if he was that easily read and nodded.

She sighed and pushed from his arms. He watched her as she stood and fought the urge to growl as she straddled his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. She rested with her head on his shoulder, her face pressed against his neck. Her voice when she spoke was soft, and a little strained, "Just hold me for a little while."

"Always, baby. Always." He replied just as softly, her voice pulling at his heart. He wrapped his arms around her back and held her as tight as he could against his body.

He groaned a few minutes later when the phone rang, unwilling to pull himself from Madison.

"Can you get that?" She asked pulling back to look at him and his heart broke as he saw the tears balancing on her lashes.

"Of course baby." She blinked and he wiped away the tear that slowly made it's way down her cheek. She pushed from his lap and made her way to the kitchen as the phone rang again.

He sighed and pushed from the couch moving to the phone. He cursed silently as he saw Billy's number flash on the caller id.

"Hello."

"Quil, it's Jake." Quil rolled his eyes, like he wouldn't know his best friend's voice, "The white wolf is awake."

Quil felt his mouth drop open, "What?"

"Yeah Sue just called and said she is awake. I won't be over to Madison's tonight."

"Okay." Quil wasn't about to ask if Jake wanted him to stay worried that he would tell him to leave.

"If the pack needs to be there I'll let you know." Jake said in a rush as Quil heard Billy call Jake's name in the background.

Quil blinked at the phone as it went dead in his hand and a smile spread across his face. He placed the phone on the receiver and headed toward the kitchen.

Madison didn't turn from the counter as he entered but asked, "Who was it?"

"Jake." He replied as he neared her. He placed his hands on her hips and spun her to face him. She looked up at him and he smiled slowly as he saw her wet lashes. He palmed her face and lowered his lips to hers. He made sure not to deepen the kiss, only pressing his lips against hers. He sighed as he felt her hands on his back as she stepped closer to him. He released her cheeks and wrapped his arms around her back running them up and down her back slowly as he continued to kiss her and only when she sighed did he attempt to deepen the kiss.

He felt her tense in his arms as his tongue touched hers, but she slowly relaxed and to his joy she returned the caress and he fought the urge to groan as her hands tightened against his back.

He pulled from the kiss, pressing his lips against hers once more before resting his forehead against hers, "Jake's not coming tonight."

"Why?" She asked her voice still soft.

"The woman is awake." He replied, worried how she would react.

He felt her tense again and pressed his lips against her forehead, "It's okay."

"Will she remember me?"

"I don't know baby. But you know I'll never let anything hurt you again." She nodded and wrapped her arms around his back. "It will be okay." He whispered again as he ran his hands up and down her back.


End file.
